On what date did the Government of India launch the Startup India initiative?

The Government of India launched the Startup India initiative on 16 January 2016.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the initiative as a national program intended to encourage entrepreneurship and support India’s startup ecosystem. Its action plan included measures involving easier compliance, funding support, and interaction between startups and government institutions.

The program was designed to reduce barriers faced by new businesses and to promote innovation beyond India’s established industrial centers. Startup India also helped give public visibility to incubators, accelerators, investors, and technology companies operating across the country.

The launch date is sometimes confused with India’s Republic Day on 26 January or Independence Day on 15 August. Startup India’s official launch was a separate event held in New Delhi on 16 January 2016, making that date the precise answer.