U.S. to play second fiddle to India

I personally take development not to be an issue of neither only GDP nor what a strata of society have what living standards or education.

I believe it to be far more holistic; in terms of Human Development Index (HDI) & quality of life for all countryman; about education, public amenities & infrastructure, employment, medical facilities, law & order, good governance, citizenry where a common man has freedom of speech in a true sense & where he or she is heard.

Also I personally do not regard the US to be role model for this neither it stands on top with such parameters.

India still, to be very sad, doesn't even have found a place in any such listings like HDI, quality of life survey, per capita income, IMF high income economies etc.

I think in spite of huge constraints, we are doing great & that too at a great pace, but unfortunately we are a bit late, firstly due to our colonial past & secondly due to not pursuing relevant economic policies time to time.

the debate is on " WHAT HAS BEEN INKED BY THE INK "

What's your point Ziz saab?

Is the debate on Ink Pen Vs Ball-pen/ Gel-Pen!

"But words are things, and a small drop of ink, falling like dew upon a thought, produces that which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think."
- Lord Byron

So People think of all those presentations, articles, studies and forecasts from a couple of decades ago. Many of them had titles like Vision 2010, India Super-power by 2010, and Marching Towards 2010 so forth. Now we are in 2010; have we achieved any of the mentioned headlines?

This is one those bench mark years by when things needed to have been done. But no, we are no-where near some of those forecasts that were made. Conveniently those forecasts have been shifted to another nice, elegantly rounded year like 2020, or in case of a few eager forecasters, to 2050.

In fact by 2050, India is supposed to be richer than Western Countries, a wonder created by Excel sheets, research houses and spokes-men like Shashi Tharoor.

Such forecasts assume current growth rates to perpetuity, ignore the low-base effect, and do not consider the fact that most of the economic growth is having minimal impact on the majority of Indians. It also ignores the fact that we don’t have basics of almost any developed economic right- an effective legal system, fiscal prudence, disincentives for corruption, intellectual property rights, less govt’ interference in business, incentives for capital flows and an education system that is designed to reward talent.

These are very boring facts, we may achieve these in the long run!

Reality is we are in 2010 and we still vote on caste, traditions, personalities or dynasty.

Moreover for approximation we have 600 million voters, a staggering number from election commission. Half the people do not vote thereby reducing the actual vote count to 300 million.

You may say that I paint a very morbid picture, all is not in vain, for one, the enlightened people have to be united and tightly knit. We may all care for our country but we could be pulling in different directions. A common agenda in line with founding principles of a modern progressive nation is required. The rest will follow. Once we are seen as a tight vote-bank, politicians will have no choice but to listen. It is great to spread the sparks around the country, if we can come together as a fire-ball, it is even better.

haajmola  ... dakar

No we will not ! sorry for being pessimistic but the truth of matter is despite how hard we  try to in our endeavor to go forward we will pull down by the chain and iron ball shackles attached to our great nation. Corruption and personal greed  is every were starting with polity,judiciary , bureaucracy, police and now sadly the military.

One might ask why corruption is also in china, US and other countries they haven't they  succeeded ?

Yes corruption is every were say for example in china if you apply for some authorization from a government agency for any thing it might get done in a week time positively as they work for the salary they are being paid  if you want to get it done in 2 days you pay a bribe this will be for the extra work they put in  compared to India were you have to bribe them to do do the work which they are paid a salary and enjoy a pension  for their life time with taxpayer money.

you think i am wrong please go to your nearest R.T.O and try to get some done on our own. If thing don't change it will be India who will be playing second fiddle to every one . Before all those patriots whom i would upset with this post and want to give me thumbs down " I appreciate  your   feeling for your great nation , But unless we accept that there is serious problem we will not be able to fix it . I have made a stand from 1995 not pay any bribes I did suffer because of that iam now because my five years PF from the previous company which i left 2007 is yet to reach me because i didnt pay 500 as bribe to the PF office guy in ghaziabad , i will suffer in the future as well but I have decided to take that stand . The problem also lies with us because we are ok with people taking bribes and we have come to accept it as a part of the system. Until we are ready to give they will not cease to take it . So as gandhiji said Let be the change we wish to see and we will be second to none - Jai hind

No doubt the GDP growth growth is quite promising in last year so. But from this we cannot judge that US would play second fiddle to India, as still a large chunk of people are still below poverty line. Apart from it, corruption is there in each and every department whether it is private or govt. Without removing these problems, India overtaking US is still by far a distant dream.

Not !! Unless we grow up and become responsible enough to mange SELF. As of now we need monitors to tell us how to act responsibly. Farmers are quitting, Industry is in doldrums, there is no R & D. Take any sector of infrastructure weather Roads, Railways, Aviation or Shipping or the resources electricity and water management we look like pygmies to even developing nations and stand up in que with underdeveloped nations. Excessive dependence on imports can not lead us anywhere except further down-slide. Awaiting someone else to fall so you can say I am standing can never be termed a positive statement.

The Road forward, if at all we have any hopes is tough and needs discipline as a prerequisite to become responsible which self appeasement and self-interests of individuals may never allow to ever happen.  

Primarily US is a case study of Marketing and Strategy!!

Even when they seem humble, you wouldnt know how many agencies are doing a complete background on you and when they would proposition you to oust you out of the comfort zones.. after all there aim was to dictate the world economy and when the recession has now hit deeper into the shores, they have sensed the need to "gadhe ko bhi baap banana padta hai"...

On a more serious note, the US is a country who would mirage you into believing you that they are giving away an inch but would be plotting to take your acre away!! Not at al possible!!

I dont think India will overtake USA atleast for the next 15 years this is because of the brain drain to USA from India.Obama said not to outsource business but still they are providing opportunities to brighter students because of which they are using best brain of the country to develop new technologies.....

US would play second fiddle to India only in dreams. With untamed increase in population, corruption, sub par infrastructure and irresponsible citizenry, India would continue to remain a developing country. Only after these problems are resolved then we can aspire to lead the world. We have all the qualities to become the world leader but unfortunately are mired in too many self-created limitations to realize full potential.