INDIA'2010

2010: A decade of decision for an upcoming global-super power called ‘India’



India seems to be poised on the brink of deliverance. So, the year 2010 marks the initiation of a decisive decade for India. How and when the specific permutations and combinations act either make or mar the idea of ‘India’. India’s imperative for growth is triggered by widespread poverty. Growth necessitates appropriation of private land, natural resources and public funds to create enabling conditions and infrastructure. Today, this billion-plus nation of ours is faced with conflicting objectives and competing compulsions. Even if India does balance the variables at home, on the global stage it faces challenges as the developed world gangs up on trade tariffs and emission cuts.

Given the magnitude of the challenge, India is definitely running out of time. Embedded in the challenges are opportunities. Sovereign India needs to go global. It could acquire land in Sudan or Brazil to grow food to beat shortages, buy into natural and energy resources in Russia to fuel growth and enable Indian entrepreneurs to buy out production capacities for the Indian market. The theme of commercial colonization needs a policy makeover. Budget 2010 must declare these enclaves as tax-free zones and food, gas or goods produced in these enclaves must be duty-free imports.

It is not just an issue of managing shortages or food price inflation. What matters is making the economy cost competitive. As energy intensive production is outsourced from other geographies, India gets room for both growth and compliance in emission cuts. At Climate Change summits, India can afford to push for aggressive cuts.

Time is of the essence. This is not an occasion for the leadership to create committees and hide in the cocoon of postponement. For too long the public policy has revolved around self-pity and pseudo- self reliance. India needs to act now. It’s time, India created an adage ‘ok is not ok’.