Minister of State for Road Transport & Highways and Corporate Affairs Shri Harsh Malhotra recently interacted with young participants at the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2026, underlining the central role of youth in achieving the vision of a developed India by 2047. Welcoming the young leaders, Shri Malhotra appreciated their contribution towards community upliftment, social causes and developmental priorities. He said the Dialogue is a constructive platform that enables young Indians to actively participate in shaping national policies and addressing critical challenges. The Minister noted that the initiative reflects the Prime Minister’s faith in the transformative power of youth and his commitment to empowering them as architects of India’s future. Reiterating that India’s youth will shape the nation during the Amrit Kaal, he said young citizens will play a decisive role in realising Viksit Bharat 2047. Highlighting India’s demographic advantage, Shri Malhotra said the country, with an average age of 29, is among the youngest globally, accounting for nearly 20 per cent of the world’s youth. He emphasised that empowering youth through education, skills and employment remains a national priority, supported by initiatives such as Rozgar Melas, PM Vishwakarma, ITI upgradation programmes and employment-linked incentive schemes. He added that nearly 1.1 million permanent jobs have been provided over the past 1.5 years. The Minister also spoke about programmes supporting women’s empowerment, including Namo Drone Didi, Mission Shakti and the Lakhpati Didi initiative. He noted that India has emerged as the world’s third-largest start-up ecosystem, with over 2,00,000 start-ups generating more than 2 million jobs across sectors. Concluding, Shri Malhotra said the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue has evolved into a nationwide movement aligned with the vision of Jan Bhagidari, encouraging youth to contribute ideas, co-create solutions and take ownership of India’s development journey.