Ideas and knowledge from India have spread across the globe, from time immemorial.
People of Indian origin have traveled across the seven seas for centuries – to share knowledge, expertise and to trade, before the ultimate downfall of India, which happened around 1700s.
Gone are the days when ‘made in India’ was what people desired. Consider this – Alexander the Great’s father King Philip’s grave has many artifacts which came from India. Indian steel and more specifically, the sword made of this steel boasts of being the best quality in the world. Muslin was one of the finest textiles the world had ever seen – a 20-yard by 1-yard piece could pass through a finger ring! Indian ships were the best in the world till the period of European renaissance. So many other goods from India, that were of high demand for rest of the world, cannot be listed here and, so many of those have indeed been forgotten!
When the British colonists came to India, they saw a great opportunity to exploit the people. They destroyed age-old indigenous industries, which were close to man and nature, and replaced them by systems dependent on machines – which sometimes harmed both man and nature.
After the industrial revolution, materials made in Europe became a hall-mark for quality and innovation. German machine tools were the best. Then followed America, Japan and Korea. Who is next in line? Many say China. But the big question is – why not India? What does India lack?
Can India take a challenge to compete with Chinese and Western Multi-nationals in major sectors including oil & gas, manufacturing, technology and health-care industries? Yes, India can and will, only if the right leadership is in place.
India needs visionaries now, to compete globally in every possible field. In science and technology, Indian minds are shining everywhere. Indian businesses also are flourishing on the global scenario. But, where is the vision to position Indian made products globally and compete with global players?
Indian consumers are now getting more used to the global market quality; gone are the days when few could afford ‘foreign’ goods. It is abundantly available in India, now. But, what about the status that goods made in India enjoy? Well – there is a struggle between ‘Indian made’ and ‘foreign made’ goods in India. Will the big Indian manufacturing houses give up?
As we all know, only too well that the population in Europe, America, Japan and many other countries is hitting an age bracket, where they won’t have enough productive man-power left for the near future. Only few countries are really ‘young’ in that sense. And, India is that ‘young’ nation today, which will supply far more man power, than it did when it provided software engineers to the world! A huge exodus of great talent in all fields may occur, in order to meet the man-power demand of the globe. Even China is getting old!
Yet, India’s internal demands are more important. India needs entrepreneurship, skill training and education for opening up jobs of tomorrow. India can provide the needed knowledge, creativity, production and service both to the whole world and for her own needs.
It will need a visionary approach with a definitive mission and true leadership. Rest will fall in place. India awaits a global leader and the re-awakening as a nation.
Sri Aurobindo had predicted that by 2025, India will find its own glorious position in the comity of the nations. But, can things happen automatically? No. All people related to India – in India and outside will have to join hands and contribute – in order to make it truly, proudly ‘made in India’ again in this century!
