As many as 50,000 startups have been recognised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) till date, an official statement said on Thursday. Startup India is a flagship initiative of the government launched on January 16, 2016. The initiative is intended to catalyse a startup culture and build a strong and inclusive ecosystem for innovation and entrepreneurship in India. The recognised startups are eligible to avail the benefits across a range of laws, regulations, fiscal and infrastructural support. "As on June 3, 2021, 50,000 startups across have been recognised as startups by DPIIT, of which 19,896 have been recognised since April 1, 2020," the commerce and industry ministry said.