The page of Gurcharan Das
iPhone success busts myths about India
With the recent launch of Apple’s iPhone 16, India’s manufacturing story has got a huge boost. The new ‘Made-in-India’ iPhone will now be available across the world. This is big. India may be the world's fastest growing large economy, but it is not creating enough jobs. Periodic labour surveys do not reflect the problem because people are not unemployed. Too many are stuck in low-productivity, informal jobs, not what they aspire to.
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One point agenda
During the recent election, many observers detected a persistent undercurrent of anxiety among voters, especially in the Hindi heartland. It related to jobs -- people want better quality jobs. None of the parties in the election campaign seemed to address this. The BJP offered a vision of a rapidly growing economy that would become the world's third largest, but it did not relate high growth to jobs.
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Market ki baat
India’s future depends on wide popular acceptance of the virtues of private enterprise. PM’s monthly radio chat is an excellent platform to preach this mantra.
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The Laptop Error
Has the License Raj come back? No, but here is a cautionary tale
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Decolonisation? Yes. Let’s Reform Our Police
A stong PM who starts the change in BJP states can deliver this, 16 years after SC's landmark judgement.
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A story of private success and public failure: Unless it fixes its institutions, India will not become a developed nation in 25 years
In April 2011, I was invited by the Arab Spring movement to present the India Model for Egypt’s future. They asked me three questions: How did you keep the generals out of power? Two, how did you become one of the fastest growing economies in the world (and a global outsourcer of IT services)? Three, how did you create social harmony in the most diverse place on the earth? They wanted to know how India had managed to have such a moderate Muslim population.
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English-Vinglish, Hindi-Shindi
India doesn’t need a national language. Plus, Hindi is growing & English is no longer elitist.
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Union Budget: Investment over consumption in 2022
This Budget chooses job creation over freebies and this is a victory.
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Toolkit for the Indian reformer: The farm laws fiasco offers 7 lessons on how to reform in a democracy
Prime minister Narendra Modi stunned the nation on November 19 when he revoked three farm laws that had led to sustained protests during the past year. A government at the zenith of power, with a strong majority, had listened to the people. It was a victory for India’s democracy.
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AI: Branding & billion dollars
Tatas will have to infuse substantial equity and run two brands to optimise the Air India acquisition
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