Incredible India @ 60 Incredible India@60 is a discussion blog for Indians by Indians. It is a place to express your views about the developmental trends in the country, the areas of improvement and much more.Feel free to discuss your views here Statistics Unique Visitors: Total Unique Visitors: Outgoing: Total Outgoing: 0 0 2 116

Articles from Incredible India @ 60

Wanted: Experienced Drivers in the Fast Lane 2007-09-14 06:32:44 As we rally on the road to the future, there come turning points where ground realities change, where gears need to be shifted, and where a new set of rules come into play. We, in India, are there right now. We are the fastest growing free market democracy and are proud of it. Yet, even as we enjoy the thrill of watching India speed down the fast lane, we realise the crying need for strong and experienced hands at the wheels. And I am not referring to the government, but to the diverse wheels that are navigating this juggernaut together. I am referring to leaders from all walks of life, synchronizing their efforts to help make this engine run smoother and faster. India @ 60 has a completely new set of challenges. At 50, we were still questioning the longevity of the reform process. At 60, reforms are a given and are now no longer viewed as options but as imperatives. As we experience the elation of 8-10 per cent GDP growth rates, we realise the need for discipline, foresight, agility a ...

Challenges amid Success 2007-09-08 10:29:56 In India, celebrations and challenges go hand-in-hand. A 9 plus per cent growth throws up the challenge of achieving inclusive growth which means bringing 700 mn people into this economic mainstream over the next 10 years. A young nation implies providing skills training to 300 million young people. A scorching pace of economic development also requires building world class infrastructure, safeguarding the environment, increasing energy efficiency, adopting clean technology…India is working on each of these very tough challenges. ...

Continuity vs. Change 2007-09-08 10:29:39 An old nation vs. a new world.  As a cautious and stubborn people face change at lightening speed, the long-debated question of India’s paradoxical mesh of the modern and traditional is, if anything, only broadening. Technology continues to break down the walls of caution and conservatism.  Several million new phone connections per month are connecting the nation. TV connections are available in almost every village. Yet, even as IT changes the face of the country, its heart holds on to the distinctive Indian elements.  While continuity is history, change is the future and it is the balance between these that has and will persist in defining India. ...

A complex nation 2007-09-08 10:29:21 To say a country of over a billion people, 25 official languages and regional diversity that is akin to separate nations is complex would be an understatement. Also home to a federal system, multiple political parties and an aggressively alert media, India’s vibrant noisy democracy comes together in a medley of sound. While India’s diversity may be its identity, there’s no denying that it can be daunting. It is our ability to constantly tune these multifarious elements that determines a cacophony or symphony. ...

An era of competitiveness 2007-09-08 10:29:04 There is new comfort with globalisation. The threat of looming ‘external’ competition has dissipated and the ghost of the Chinese wave hurtling through our industry no longer strikes the fear it did 10 year ago. The private sector is getting comfortable centre-stage, following 16 years of liberalisation. Growth is now led by the private sector operating within the mantras of profitability and performance. Entrepreneurship and enterprise are in vogue and the globally competitive Indian multinational is a reality today as is reverse outsourcing. ...

A wave of confidence 2007-09-08 10:28:41 In India, we recognize the challenges.  But we are feeling good and know we can make it happen. We believe growth will rise to over 10 percent and be sustained. This is the new confident India. India has also displaced US as the second-most favoured destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) in the world after China according to an AT Kearney’s FDI Confidence Index. This is the new confidence in India. ...

Consumers galore 2007-09-08 10:28:18 A rising wave of consumerism has taken India by storm.  It’s raining malls in metros and small towns alike and the consumers are keeping pace.  Over 9 percent GDP growth, booming service and manufacturing sectors and incredible levels of investment have given way to rising purchasing power. Driven by a 500 million strong consumer segment and the passionate young demographic, India is on a shopping spree. Indeed, this may well be the most prominent manifestation of the ‘trickle down’ effect of India’s economic liberalisation. ...

Looking for international partnerships 2007-09-08 10:27:55 India is looking for responsible partners, those that are in for the long haul. The government is focussed on infrastructure development to provide a strong backbone to the economy. The infrastructure sector has the potential to absorb $150 billion of FDI over the next five years. Enthusiastic public-private partnerships has emerged in all areas of infrastructure development, be it highway construction or airport development and management, power generation or distribution, or any other. The doors are open to all, but India is actively seeking partners who would willingly share responsibilities of writing an even better second chapter in this success story. ...