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Introduction

In 1985, India and China had similar per capita GDPs (~$293), but by 2025, China’s economy grew to $19 trillion against India’s $4.1 trillion. This gap reflects China’s policy continuity and nationalism-driven governance versus India’s fragmented execution. The contrast highlights how institutional coherence drives sustained growth.

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Reasons for India’s Slower Development

• Leadership Instability: Frequent changes in leadership and short political tenures disrupted policy continuity, unlike China’s consistent governance.
  Eg: Stable leadership under Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Zemin, Hu Jintao, and Xi Jinping versus India’s coalition-era instability in the 1990s.
• Weak National Interest Focus: Policies in India often reflect ideological or electoral motives rather than long-term national priorities.
  
• Poor Project Execution: Infrastructure projects are delayed by bureaucracy, activism, and litigation, causing cost overruns.
  Eg: Three Gorges Dam finished in 10 years, while Sardar Sarovar Dam took 56 years (1961–2017).
• Bureaucratic Inefficiency: Rigid procedures, corruption, and lack of accountability slow project implementation and deter investors.
  Eg: India’s low rank in Ease of Doing Business on land acquisition and contract enforcement.
• Foreign-Funded Activism: External funding for activism has occasionally obstructed legitimate development projects.
  Eg: Closure of Vedanta’s Sterlite Plant (2018) and protests at Koodankulam Nuclear Plant (2012).

Governance Reforms for Faster Growth

• Long-Term Economic Vision: Set up a bipartisan National Development Council 2047 to ensure policy continuity.
• Bureaucratic Reform: Introduce performance-linked appraisals, lateral entry of experts, and time-bound project clearances.
  Eg: The PRAGATI platform has improved real-time project monitoring.
• Judicial and Environmental Reforms: Create special infrastructure courts and apply scientific benchmarks for clearances to reduce delays.
• Strengthen Federal Cooperation: Promote seamless inter-state trade, logistics, and tax harmonization for a unified market.
  Eg: The GST Council demonstrates successful cooperative federalism.
• Education and Labour Reform: Align education and skills with industrial demand and simplify labour laws for flexibility and productivity.
  Eg: Skill India Mission and Labour Code Reforms (2020) need stronger implementation.
• Nationalist Development Ethos: Foster inclusive nationalism that unites citizens around shared developmental goals.
  Eg: Make in India and Digital India should evolve into enduring national movements.

Conclusion

India must couple democratic openness with institutional efficiency and policy stability. Judicial, administrative, and industrial reforms, backed by self-reliance and cooperative federalism, are key to sustained growth. A shared national vision can help realise the goal of a developed India by 2047.

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