India is a BRICS country primed for rapid development in all spheres
AS WE approach BRICS10, it becomes time to reflect on India’s influential initiatives.
Our country leads with rare success, as powerful statistics exponentially continue to climb and grow. With the world watching India, our brand globally draws attention, attracting and inspiring not only within our country but around the world. This article emphasises some of India’s thriving initiatives and successes.
“Made in India” in particular has been an exceptionally powerful programme undertaken in order to encourage manufacturing and investment within India. Among the list of its myriad achievements, it has recorded the highest foreign direct investment inflow within India: $223 billion. This is undoubtedly a remarkable feat for the country, allowing it to be listed as the most attractive investment destination globally and the world’s fastest-growing large economy from 2016 to 2017.
And besides past successes, it is projected to be contributing $1 trillion to India’s GDP by 2022 and $5 trillion by 2025. This exponential growth not only indicates unparalleled progress, but speaks of a nation crystallising with a conviction for expansion.
The expansion of technology in India has also gathered pace in our country.
Digital India was one of the first, and most powerful, initiatives undertaken by the current government in order to bring and strengthen connectivity of government services to all parts of India.
High-speed internet, enhanced infrastructure and digital empowerment have led India to reach pole position in mobile data usage in the world, as well as number one in broadband speeds.
India also possesses digital identities for 1 billion of its people, a deeply impressive feat, given a population of 1.3 billion.
Coupled with these current achievements, by 2025 India is projected to have 900 million internet users. In addition, by 2025, every seventh global internet user will be Indian. Indisputably, the prevalence of technology in India brings our country to a new height of connectivity and strength.
Furthermore, India’s infrastructure goals have set themselves apart with their distinctive strength. With plans for five industrial corridors, 44 highways of 27 000km, 100 new airports, 400 railways to be redeveloped, 175 gigawatts of renewable energy under the Sagar Mala project and a budget of $92bn for 2018-19, India sets itself apart with inspiring objectives to propel its country to new heights. Additionally, India is on track with the objective of more than 100 smart cities by 2022.
Subsequently, Skills India is an initiative to empower citizens in one of the finest ways. It aims to train thousands of people with various skills in order to equip the Indian population with vital necessities.
The programme, launched only three years ago, has trained a vast number of people, more than 480 Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendras have been announced, as well as India’s partnership with 11 countries in the skills arena.
Since 2015, 15 engineering and management schools have been set up, and more than 18 000 industrial training institutes, while 90 million entrepreneurs have been granted loans. By 2022, it is targeted that 300 million people will have been trained.
This allows India to expand the number of its citizens with valuable skill, and empower those with potential.
It serves as a crucial foundation for powerful development within the country.
Perhaps the one element that has made a significant difference in our quest to be an inclusive society is the Jan Dhan scheme where more than 300 million bank accounts have been opened in the past three years, providing thereby modern banking facilities to India’s teeming millions. India’s unique selling point is its enterprising and dynamic youth, which is reflected in the more than 20 000 start-ups, the Unicorn Valuation of which is $32bn. Currently, India ranks third globally in terms of the number of unicorns created.
In addition, India is the second largest start-up ecosystem, paving the way for innovative success and growth with StartUp India.
With these initiatives in mind, India brings its passion for alliance and process to BRICS, its conviction in rebuilding its country and its initiatives to focus on technologically empowering its citizens. Bringing its energy with the zeal of, as in the words of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, not merely hoping for reform or change, but with the powerful aspiration of building a new India. One which strives towards creativity in innovation, efficiency in technology, empowerment through education and skill, and a country reborn.