INDIA: Looking Ahead
India, the emerging superpower. India, the resurgent economy.
Well, these are just a couple of headlines that India has made
during the recent past.
Questions have been asked about the validity of such optimism.
After all, those who have known India closely also know of its
vulnerabilities. Corruption, politics, insufficient
infrastructure are some of the concerns an average Indian faces.
Yet, we would like to believe that India is indeed the emerging
global power in reckoning.
India's strength lies in its diversity of culture and thought.
While it is arguable whether the diversity and difference of
opinion might be due to ethnic and related genetic factors,
there is no doubt that it is difficult to find another place
with such variety of skill & intellect. Traditionally known as
an agrarian society, India has its presence felt in hi-tech
areas of nuclear science, biotechnology and space engineering.
While India's population growth rate and thus the population is
among the highest in the world, it is also one of the largest
customer base for multinationals of all products, right from
cosmetics to heavy engineering to automobiles. A mere 2% of the
target Indian population makes for the entire market of other
countries. If you'd like to know more, sample this; the Indian
market size of cardio-vascular medicines is larger than the
entire pharmaceutical industry of Australia.
This sheer size of India makes it a favorite destination for
businesses of all types. This size also determines the available
of the best skills at the most reasonable rates. A highly
educated and technically qualified English speaking talent pool
serves as the heart of the world's favorite outsourcing
destination.
Yes, we have a problem with the infrastructure because we simply
can't cope with the rising pressure. The demand for growth in
infrastructure is higher than the rate at which we have managed
to grow. But then we also have global partners for
infrastructure growth.
Corruption and politics and often uttered in a single breath in
India. May be we need to rethink the way our Constitution allows
the multi-party politics and make way for amendments that will
make the numbers' game of absolute majority simpler so that
regional political representatives do not adopt arm-twisting
ways in national policies. After all, if you as a political
party who do not have a national presence, which again is well
defined in the Constitution as to what makes a national party
and a regional party, then you shouldn't be dictating terms for
people who haven't heard of you.
There have been a few cases of where religious sentiments ruled
over reason. Didn't politics have to do something with it?
I recently watched a movie where a character comments that no
country is perfect. For that matter, individuals, nation's
smallest building blocks, even an individual is not perfect.
Well, that's it. No one's perfect. The key to succeed lies in
identifying the strengths and buildings on them in the process
negate the weaknesses.
India has a rich cultural heritage and is known for its
pluralism. India has emerged victorious after centuries of
aggression. We are the world's destination for medical and
eco-tourism. Indian spiritualism and Yoga are the most sought
after healing techniques. The Indian democracy is the world's
largest. The Indian railway network is one of the world's
largest and no one else carries more passengers. The Indian
telecom industry is among the world's fastest growing. India is
powerful destination for top multinationals with their
production units to cater to markets elsewhere. India has a
sizable urban populace with large spare income and high spending
potential making India the target for all consumer and personal
products of leading multinationals. The land of Gandhi,
Rabindranath Tagore, Amartya Sen and many more greats have shown
the world ways to peace, freedom and prosperity and continue to
bring ideas and concepts for a better world. Let us recognize
the strength of India and move ahead.
Please send your comments on this article to
pkdasgupta@connectinfomedia.com