I wrote this piece 7 years back, sitting in a TIME class. Thankfully, I came to realize that the class was not for me but the thoughts penned here, still resonate true. We are well on our way, Education has improved, Taxation has become simpler, and Infra is coming up fast. I remain incredibly optimistic.
A perspective from 2015 –
It’s difficult to see 5 years further but as I clear the haze and form a picture of what India would look like 5 years down the line, I see an athlete going full steam, a nation running headlong into the future making up for all those lost years, to regain its place at the top. As my heart begins to rejoice this image, my right-brain gets to work, pulling me back to reality, to the reality of some fundamental challenges we face, illiteracy and poverty.
The vision of this proactive India stems from the rapid growth witnessed in the post liberalization period. The good thing about this growth is that India’s growth and exports have not been labor intensive but knowledge intensive. India hence has a strong footing for accelerating growth in the years to come, not just as a manufacturing hub but also as an innovation hub specializing in frugal engineering. As growth subsides in the Chinese and Korean economies, India has the potential to come up as a manufacturing hub, but this potential will not translate into reality unless we correct a few basics. India is by far one of the most difficult countries for business, unclear and complex tax laws, red tape and lack of trained human resource are dragging India’s Manufacturing sector.
Political parties find it difficult to rise above personal differences and work for the nation, the recently stalled GST bill brings forward the anarchy in our parliament. Every government since Independence has been Indifferent towards education, only recently the AAP government broke the jinx doubling Delhi’s education budget. No country can dream to develop without an educated society, the Chinese and the Koreans understood this at an early stage and invested in their primary and secondary education system, the fruits of those efforts are showing up. By 2020 I see India rushing to boost its primary and secondary education system as it understands the role education plays in empowering society.
There has been a better time to invest in India as it prepares for a new dawn. The huge market offered by India makes it very attractive for multinationals to invest in. This investment brings with it jobs, which in turn effect societal upliftment. I believe we are standing at the most crucial juncture in the history of independent India. Raising Venture Capital has become relatively easy, bank loans are easily available and per capita income is encouraging people to start their own businesses. Entrepreneurship is the buzzword, new and innovation driven companies are coming up every day. Constraints aside, India has arrived at the world stage with growth in its cross-hairs. Any walls separating us from our target will be brought down be it illiteracy or poverty. I see 2020 as the year of awakening for India.
rabbitRambles 