The vision is clear since 2014, a strong economy at home, and a sophisticated foreign policy abroad to boost India’s standing image on the global stage.
Washington, DC: Since taking office nine years ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi listed several priorities, but one of them was to connect with India’s large populace. A herculean task of addressing a billion-plus population. Prime Minister Modi rolled out “Mann Ki Baat” in October 2014, addressing Indian citizens on issues of national importance.
The initiative has come a long way with the milestone program of the 100th Mann Ki Baat episodeon Sunday, 30 April. To commemorate the centurion episode, the government has announced it will release a new 100 rupee coin on 30 April.
The latest datafrom the UN points out that India has overtaken China in terms of population, but Prime Minister Modi has kept that focus on bridging the gap with China in terms of economic metricsand GDP growth.India is now the fifth-largest economy, overtaking its former colonial power, in the United Kingdom and while there is still some space to go between New Delhi and Beijing, the focus has been on sectoral improvements as opposed to a boiling the ocean strategy.
Since 2014, Prime Minister Modi has been a driving force behind India’s economic transformation, taking steps to improve infrastructure, attract foreign investment, focus on healthcare and education, and promote innovation while prioritizing the tech sector.
On the manufacturing element, the “Make in India” campaign and the government Production Linked Incentives (PLI) have been aimed at giving a boost to the sector to keep pace with China that largely became known as the manufacturing capital of the world. The pandemic disrupted supply chains and companies and CEOs in boardrooms are looking at a China plus one strategy. India’s large-scale manufacturing resources, voluminous population, and shared democratic values with major powers like the United States give India a competitive edge to help shore up the manufacturing bases.
Prime Minister Modi’s government has made a lot of effort in improving the Ease of Doing Business environment to help enhance India’s standing as a prime investment destination. Recent examples of commercial success include American multinationals in Apple and Boeing. The recent acquisition by Air India to purchase over 200 American-made aircrafts from Boeing earned plaudits from both President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. President Biden acknowledged this as a “historic agreement” between the two companies, as it gave the American manufacturing industry a boost, supporting a million manufacturing jobs across America.
While Apple opening its first retail store in India is a sign of the importance of India’s commercial strength in terms of having one of the largest smartphone user markets, and a boost to American high-tech multinationals to come and Make in India.The time and Indian market are ripe for cutting-edge tech products. Prime Minister Modi and India have been able to demonstrate an increasingly global competitive edge to its manufacturing potential. After all, given India’s increasing population, it’s manufacturing as a process that can create large-scale jobs.
The focus during various Mann Ki Baat has been the term Atmanirbhar Bharat or self-reliance. Prime Minister Modi has clarified that a self-reliant India doesn’t mean India alone, but instead a self-reliant India with a competitive advantage to offer, in its large-scale manufacturing resources and cost-effective solutions
Prime Minister Modi’s policies have been focused on promoting growth, infrastructure development, and improving the ease of doing business environment. The introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST)was revolutionary since it was a single tax that replaced complex arcane tax systems of both indirect taxes and direct taxes in the country. The business environment depends on labour laws and tax laws and the GST has made it easier for businesses and foreign investors to operate in India and has reduced the burden of taxation on consumers.
On infrastructure, India has traditionally not been able to keep pace with other major Asian players. With a focus on infrastructure upkeep and modernization to keep pace with rapid economic growth, Prime Minister Modi has focused on large-scale road development projects, infrastructure connectivity that aims to connect India’s major cities and ports, and a focus on building greenfield smart cities complementary to his vision of Digital India.
Another salient feature in his Mann Ki Baat talks has been healthcare, as Prime Minister Modi has advocated healthier lifestyles through traditional healing through Yoga and Ayurveda, something now in uptake and popularity in the West.
The biggest challenges were through the Covid-19 pandemic and emphasis on vaccination and indigenous vaccines such as Covaxin, and through the Cowinplatform, showcased India’s logistical capability (especially after the Alpha and Delta waves) that the government was able to get the majority of its citizens a first dose.
Unseen before, initiatives like Swachh Bharat Abhiyan focused on an unprecedented cleanliness drive, prioritizing healthcare and prevention of diseases spreading through unsanitary conditions.
As Prime Minister Modi gets set for his 100th episode, the biggest calendar month for India in 2023 will be during the G20 this year.With India’s presidency, the Prime Minister has focused on issues such as climate action and the digital economy.
South Asia and India are vulnerable to climate change and the country’s rapid economic growth is likely to exacerbate these problems. Prime Minister Modi and his government have taken steps to promote sustainable development and reduce India’s carbon footprint.
The upcoming G20 in India will touch on a much-needed shift to cleaner sources of energy and reduce dependency on fossil fuels in the emerging market world with a focus on green energy and the Indiangovernment’s plan to expand green hydrogen production.
On the trade front, as I noted in previous Sunday Guardian columns, Prime Minister Modi has made a concerted effort to transform the Look East policy to one of Act East, forging stronger relations with Southeast Asia, both in trade and maritime connectivity and strengthening the cultural bonds.
India’s relations with its East Asian neighbours in Japan and Taiwan have grown as India seeks to leverage its manufacturing potential with tech investments from these markets, as Taiwan and Japan have dominated the high-tech manufacturing landscape. The synergy is also strong with Japan and Australia as fellow Quad partners, as maritime connectivity and supply chain rebuilding remain a core focus. India has rapidly worked towards Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with Australia, UAE, UK, and the EU, showing economic openness and regional connectivity, following Prime Minister Modi’s Neighbourhood First Policy.”
But equally important is the digital economy as the Modigovernment has also been working to promote digital trade as the country’s digital economy is one of the largest in the world, and India’s tech prowess and initiatives such as the Digital India campaign have increased financial payments, birthed unicorns, and improved internet connectivity.
The vision is clear since 2014, a strong economy at home, and a sophisticated foreign policy abroad to boost India’s standing image on the global stage.
Dr Mukesh Aghi is President and CEO of US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF).