The Future of India

India now boasts a new 3,600-mile highway known as the Golden Quadrilateral (GQ) that links the major cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata. Indian planners hope that this new transportation artery will help launch the nation’s economy into the twenty-first century. There are currently two Indian realities. One is the traditional India of villages where 50% of the population still lives as poor tenant farmers, thatched huts, hand-dug wells full of filthy water, and skinny cows. And now there is the new India of nuclear reactors, middle-class suburban developments, world-class technical colleges, designer coffees, and designer jeans.

The Indian socialism of Gandhi and Nehru, which only a short time ago virtually paralyzed the economy, is now being eclipsed by a unique “made in India” capitalism that has opened its markets to foreign investment, launched millions of high-technology firms, and graduated and employed world-class engineers, scientists, and programmers. Their counterparts in North America and Europe look on with concern as they realize that these high-quality professionals will work for one-tenth of their wages.

The GQ is a metaphor for the new India, reinventing itself as a modern nation at a pace that is so rapid that Western observers can only rub their eyes in disbelief. The way this development is taking place is heavily flavored by the Indian character: enterprising, innovative, aggressive, energetic, persistent, but usually good-natured.

This presentation will identify the critical trends that are currently shaping modern India and will attempt to profile what the India of 2050 might look like. The situation in India will be compared and contrasted with that other rapidly developing Asian giant, China. One thing that is certain is that the India of the future will look and behave very differently from China. The challenges and opportunities offered by the emerging Indian economy and labor market will be an important area of discussion.

Who should attend: All individuals, organizations, and stakeholders who are interested in the most significant trends in India today and how these will influence the development of the country in the twenty-first century.

What you’ll learn: Participants will gain a broad overview of the most important economic, demographic, technical, and political trends in India today.

How this new knowledge can be applied: Participants will be able to gain a more accurate picture of how India will look, perform, and behave by mid-century. Insights will also be given into how India will likely interact with its geographic neighbors and with its principal trading partners around the globe.

Paul D. Tinari, director, Pacific Institute for Advanced Study, Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada

key words: politics, national trends, development and stability
issue areas: Governance and Communities