The concept of a superpower evokes images of global influence, economic might, and a powerful military. Nations like the United States and China hold this status, wielding significant influence on the world stage. But what about India? With its vast population, rich cultural heritage, and growing economy, India possesses the potential to join the ranks of the world’s superpowers. So, the question arises: how can India become a superpower?
How Can India Become a Superpower: Roadmap to Success
Understanding the Pillars of a Superpower
A nation’s claim to superpower status rests on a strong foundation built upon several pillars:
- Economic Growth and Development: A strong and diversified economy is the basis of a superpower. This translates to continuous economic growth fueled by industrialization, innovation, and a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem. Investments in infrastructure, technology, and education are very important to enhance productivity and global competitiveness. Additionally, attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) and fostering a business-friendly environment are crucial for economic expansion.
- Human Capital Development: A superpower’s strength lies not just in its economy but also in its people. Prioritizing education and skill development is essential to cultivate a highly qualified and skilled workforce. Investing in healthcare and social welfare programs improves the quality of life and boosts citizen productivity. Promoting gender equality and inclusivity ensures that the entire population can contribute to the nation’s growth.
- Technological Advancement: In today’s knowledge-driven world, technology is a game-changer. Fostering research and development (R&D) in critical sectors like information technology (IT), biotechnology, and renewable energy is vital. Embracing emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, and robotics can move the wheel of innovation and fuel economic growth. Collaboration between learned people, industry, and government is essential for technological breakthroughs.
- Infrastructure Development: A well-developed infrastructure network acts as the backbone of a thriving economy. Investing in transportation, energy, and communication infrastructure improves connectivity and supports economic activity. Modernizing urban infrastructure allows a growing population to flourish and promotes sustainable development. Expanding rural infrastructure bridges the urban-rural divide and fosters inclusive growth.
- Military Strength and Defence Modernization: For safeguarding national security interests, a strong military is needed. A superpower needs to invest in indigenous defence production and technology to reduce reliance on foreign arms imports. Building strategic alliances and partnerships strengthens a nation’s ability to address emerging security threats and challenges.
Now that we understand the defining characteristics of a superpower, let’s explore how India is performing against these crucial pillars.
India’s Strengths: Keys to Superpower Status
India has several strengths that position it for a potential rise:
- Demographic Dividend: India has the world’s largest youth population, more than 60% under the age of 35. This results in a significant potential workforce, a crucial asset for economic growth. However, taking full benefits of this dividend depends on effectively skilling this young population to meet the demands of the job market.
- Economic Powerhouse: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicts India to be the world’s third-largest economy by 2028. However, to maintain this growth, India needs to diversify its economy beyond service sectors and focus on boosting manufacturing and technological innovation.
- Technological Advantage: India is a leader in information technology, with a booming startup ecosystem and a large pool of tech talent. According to a report by NASSCOM, India’s IT-BPM industry revenue is expected to reach $350 billion by 2025. However, to become a true technological leader, India needs to increase investments in R&D across various scientific fields.
- Strategic Location: The Indian Ocean, which is the hub of trade helps India to enjoy a strategic geographical advantage, allowing it to play a pivotal role in regional and global trade.
- Soft Power: Bollywood films, yoga, and Indian cuisine captivate audiences worldwide, fostering cultural exchange and promoting a positive image of India on the global stage. India’s growing economic and military might, coupled with its global diaspora of approx.17.9 million citizens contribute to its soft power. The growing popularity of Indian streaming services like ZEE5 and Disney+ Hotstar, which offer a vast library of Indian content, is a testament to the global appeal of Indian culture.
Predictions for the Future: Superpower India
Think tanks and experts have made projections about a future India:
- Economy: PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) predicts India to become the world’s second-largest economy by 2050, surpassing the United States.
- Military: India is already the world’s fourth-largest military power, and continued modernization efforts could solidify its position.
- Global Leadership: India’s growing economic and military might, coupled with its soft power, could see it assuming a leadership role in international organizations and shaping global agendas. One example of India’s growing influence on the world stage is the International Solar Alliance, launched in 2015. This initiative brings together over 100 countries to promote solar energy adoption and combat climate change.
Key Areas of Focus
While India’s potential is undeniable, significant challenges remain. Let’s look into these critical areas which require focused efforts and find out what’s being done:
- Education and Skill Development: Equipping the young population with relevant skills is crucial for economic growth and global competitiveness. The introduction of the National Education Policy (NEP) in 2020 aims to transform India’s education system with a focus on holistic learning, critical thinking, and skill development. The success of this policy will be crucial in addressing educational challenges.
- Infrastructure Development: Building robust infrastructure – roads, bridges, electricity grids, and digital networks – is essential for connecting markets, facilitating trade, and driving economic activity. The ambitious Delhi-Mumbai Expressway project, inaugurated in September 2023, is a significant step towards improving India’s highway infrastructure and reducing travel times between major cities.
- Healthcare Strengthening: Ensuring access to quality healthcare for all will improve the overall health of the population, leading to a more productive workforce. Initiatives like Ayushman Bharat, Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) have significantly improved health insurance coverage for low-income families. Expanding such schemes and promoting private health insurance can ensure wider access to quality healthcare services.
- Inclusive Growth: Bridging the socio-economic divide and ensuring equitable distribution of wealth is essential for long-term stability and social progress. More initiatives like the Skill India Mission which focuses on skilling women for jobs in various sectors and the Stand-Up India scheme, which provides loans to women entrepreneurs need to be introduced.
- Innovation and R&D: India must invest heavily in research and development (R&D) to become a leader in emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and robotics. The establishment of the National Mission on Quantum Technologies and the ongoing research efforts in developing indigenous AI applications are positive steps in this direction.
- Sustainable Development: Balancing economic growth with environmental sustainability is critical for long-term success is highly important. The good thing is that the government is pushing for renewable energy through initiatives like the Green Hydrogen Mission to position India as a leader in clean energy technologies and create a green economy.
- Indigenous Defense Production: Developing a strong domestic defence industry can reduce reliance on foreign arms imports and ensure self-sufficiency in meeting defence needs.
India’s increasing focus on indigenous aircraft production, like the Tejas fighter jet, is a good step towards achieving self-reliance or “atmanirbharta” in defense manufacturing.
- Strategic Partnerships: India needs to have strong strategic partnerships with other countries to enhance its global influence and address shared challenges. An example of this is India’s growing partnership with African nations through initiatives like the India-Africa Forum Summit, which focuses on development cooperation and mutual understanding. The recent participation of India, along with the United States, Australia, and Japan, in the Malabar naval exercises in November 2023 also shows growing strategic cooperation between these democracies in the Indo-Pacific region.
Several initiatives like the Skill India Mission which aims to equip millions of young people with employable skills, Digital India Initiative which focuses on improving digital infrastructure and access to technology across the country, Ayushman Bharat Healthcare Scheme which aims to provide affordable health insurance to a large population, Make in India initiative which aims to transform India into a global manufacturing hub with its performance-linked incentives (PLIs) to attract large-scale electronics and semiconductor manufacturing will surely propel India’s ambitions of becoming a superpower.
Challenges to Overcome
- Inequality and Poverty: Reducing income inequality is crucial for social stability and inclusive development. Despite economic growth, a significant portion of the population still lives in poverty. However, as per reports, India has ended extreme poverty.
- Corruption: Corruption continues to be a major impediment to economic growth and efficient governance. Steps like streamlining bureaucratic procedures to reduce opportunities for officials to exploit red tape for personal gain, online applications, and approvals, minimized human interaction are needed to curb this on a micro-level.
- Internal Security Threats: India faces internal security threats from terrorism and Maoist insurgency. Addressing these concerns effectively is essential to ensure stability and attract foreign investment.
- Climate Change: India is highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change- Rising sea levels, extreme weather, and water scarcity continuously threaten its growth. requires significant investments in adaptation and mitigation strategies.
When will India become a superpower?
Building on the identified focus areas and addressing the challenges, India can achieve superpower status around 2050 by doing these things:
2024-2030: Laying the Foundation
- Prioritize education and skill development: India must implement reforms to improve the quality of education, focusing on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) and vocational training.
- Speed Up infrastructure development: Invest in building world-class transportation, communication, and energy infrastructure projects.
- Strengthen healthcare: Increase public spending on healthcare, improve access to medical facilities in rural areas, and invest in medical research.
- Promote inclusive growth: Implement policies to create jobs, uplift marginalized communities, and bridge the rural-urban divide.
2030-2040: Building Momentum
- Drive innovation and R&D: Increase public and private investments in R&D, focusing on emerging technologies and fostering a culture of innovation.
- Ensure environmental sustainability: Adopt sustainable development practices, invest in renewable energy sources, and promote environmental protection.
- Forge strategic partnerships: Build strong alliances with other countries, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region, to address shared challenges and promote regional stability.
2040-2050: The next superpower
- Become a global leader in key sectors: Take advantage of India’s strengths to become a leading player in sectors like information technology, renewable energy, and manufacturing.
- Enhance soft power: Promote Indian culture and values on the global stage, strengthen cultural diplomacy, and contribute to global discourse on critical issues.
- Strengthen national security: Modernize the military, enhance cyber security capabilities, and address internal security threats effectively.
2050-beyond: Maintaining Superpower Status
- Maintain a focus on inclusive growth and social development: Invest in education, healthcare, and social welfare programs to ensure equitable opportunities for all citizens.
- Embrace continuous innovation and adaptation: Foster a culture of lifelong learning and agility to adapt to a rapidly changing global landscape.
- Assume a leadership role in global governance: Actively participate in international institutions, contribute to shaping global norms, and promote peaceful conflict resolution.
Conclusion
The answer to this question- How can India become a Superpower is not so simple, it is a marathon, not a sprint. It requires continuous efforts, strategic vision, and strong commitment from the government, businesses, and citizens alike. By addressing the challenges and using its full potential India can pave the way for a future where it stands tall as a leading global power, shaping the world of the future.