Incredible India at 78: A Brief History of Transformation
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AUGUST 2024
While celebrating the 78th Independence Day on 15th August 2024, ExpertX is going to talk about India’s journey through the times since 1947.
It is an opportunity to celebrate and understand how remarkable India’s transformation has been.
Here is a list of countries that gained independence from the colonial powers from the 1930s until the end of 1950:
1930s:
Iraq (from the United Kingdom) - 1932
Saudi Arabia (unification and independence) – 1932
1940s:
Lebanon (from France) - 1943
Syria (from France) - 1946
Jordan (from the United Kingdom) - 1946
Philippines (from the United States) - 1946
India (from the United Kingdom) - 1947
Pakistan (from the United Kingdom) - 1947
Burma (Myanmar) (from the United Kingdom) - 1948
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) (from the United Kingdom) - 1948
Israel (from the United Kingdom mandate) - 1948
South Korea (from Japan) - 1948
North Korea (from Japan) - 1948
Indonesia (from the Netherlands) - 1949
1950s:
Libya (from the United Nations trusteeship) - 1951
Cambodia (from France) - 1953
Laos (from France) - 1953
Vietnam (from France) - 1954
Sudan (from the United Kingdom and Egypt) - 1956
Morocco (from France and Spain) - 1956
Tunisia (from France) - 1956
Ghana (from the United Kingdom) - 1957
Malaysia (Federation of Malaya) (from the United Kingdom) - 1957
Guinea (from France) - 1958
In stark comparison to these countries, India has made phenomenal ground-breaking progress. There are many reasons.
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...In 1950, India’s total grain production was about 50 million tonnes, and in 2023, it was about 325 million tonnes
There are six elements of India that can broadly paint the development story, aspirations, and progress of India over the last 78 years.
India has evolved as a multifaceted country economically, educationally, scientifically, technologically, and politically, and it has exceptional defence capabilities.
It’s a monumental progress, and it only underscores how far a nation has come while staying rooted in its Indian values and traditions.
The first element is economics. India has grown from agrarian struggles to a global powerhouse in agriculture.
Since 1947, when India emerged out of the shadow of colonial rule, it has been primarily an agricultural economy with a very fragile industrial base.
It was no more than a cottage industry. At the time, agriculture employed 70% of the population, which was marred with inefficiencies, low productivity, over-dependence on monsoons, and poverty was embedded into society.
Today, however, India’s agricultural path is much stronger and much more resilient, and it is producing surplus food grains. Not only is India consuming and feeding its population, but India is also able to export them wherever necessary.
In 1950, India’s total grain production was about 50 million tonnes, and in 2023, it was about 325 million tonnes, which is six times that.
Today, India is the fifth largest economy globally in GDP terms, and its services contribute to 54% of GDP; India has diversified its economic base into industry, agriculture, and services. This is not easy.
Its foreign reserves are standing at over 600 billion dollars, and that is a strength of its economic policy.
India’s economic policy, the policy of prudence, the policy of savings, and the policy of expenditure, which is scrutinised irrespective of the government, that policy has allowed the country to manage successfully the external shocks.
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As a special character of adaptation, Indians have embraced digital technology to mobile technology...
Whether it was the collapse of Asian Tigers in the late 1990s, the global financial crisis of 2008 or the economic disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Indian economy stood resilient.
Over the years, India has developed an extensive network of roads, railways, and airports, one of the largest in the world, and there is seamless connectivity across the country, east to west, north to south.
India has built more than 50,000 kilometres of national highways. The metro rail systems in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Bangalore are world-class. The kind of traffic they carry is second to none in the world.
As a special character of adaptation, Indians have embraced digital technology to mobile technology, and there are 70 crore (700 million) internet users in the country currently. It is one of the largest internet markets in the world.
By a critical observation, Indian economists and policymakers have used the time to turn the tables of crisis and have used the best of their economic acumen to understand the needs of the country.
Until 1991, India had more or less developed its fundamentals strength of the economy and the infrastructure on which the power of an open economy could be launched.
Post 1991, when the country saw an economic reform and liberalised the economy, it unlocked the doors to global markets, and that is where the crucial transformation and the entrepreneurial potential of millions of Indians came into being.
The second element is education, which went from having limited access in 1947 to being a knowledge superpower. At the time of independence, the illiteracy rate was over 80%, and today, India has inverted those miserable statistics.
Today, the literacy rate is over 80%.
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Until 1991, India had more or less developed its fundamentals strength of the economy and the infrastructure on which the power of an open economy could be launched
Right through the beginning of its journey in 1947, India’s leaders, irrespective of all political classes, prioritised education as a means of nation-building, and that has set the stage for dramatic transformation in times to come.
It was right to education in 2009, and even prior to that act of parliament, anyone walking around the street of India in the morning would see children of all ages from all economic classes rushing towards their school.
Their parents dropping off their children or packing lunch boxes are their unsung dedication, ensuring that their children get the right education.
It is a magnificent sight to witness the uniform-clad children of India, the future of India, rushing to school with aspirations that can only be inspired by the education policy that India has pursued.
More than 1000 universities and 40,000 colleges dot the country’s cities and villages. It is the world’s third-largest higher education system.
Every year, 3.5 lakh students enrol in different institutes, including the IITs and IIMs. These are world-class premier institutions, and they have earned global recognition for their excellence in education and research.
Its national digital library and the massive open-line courses are free. It only provides access to millions of students with good quality, high-quality education from wherever in the country.
Digital India has also facilitated the spread of e-learning.
These only signify India’s resolve to educate the population, the billion population, to imbibe the seed of science and technology and the power of reasoning into education.
The result is that India has emerged as a global knowledge power bloc and is contributing significantly to research and development.
In fact, it would not be wrong to state that Indians rank third globally in terms of the number of scientific publications they are doing, whether they are in India or outside India.
Emphasis on girl education enabled by the bicycle revolution or the midday meal program is second to none. Rarely are these kinds of positive discrimination and support systems found in any other developed country.
Hence, without a doubt, India’s policy and aspiration to get educated are sources of immense pride for all Indians. The education system has been the source of the transformative power in shaping its country’s destiny.
The third element is the science and technology mindset. India is a global leader in science and technology, and it has iconic institutes like the IITs, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMs), Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR), Atomic Energy Commission, Council
for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), National Supercomputing Mission (NSM), Human Spaceflight Centre (HSC), Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), DigiLocker and the Indian Space Research Organisation, to name a few.
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...India’s resolve to educate the population, the billion population, to imbibe the seed of science and technology and the power of reasoning into education
These are renowned centres of excellence in engineering, technology and medical science, and since the 50s, they have been progressing only to be the envy of the world.
India is launching rockets and missiles at the lowest cost ever possible, whether it is the Mars Orbiter mission, the Mangalyaan, the Chandrayaan, or the ISRO INSATS series of satellites.
They are an image of remarkable success, and this success India has been building for the last 78 years, step by step.
India is the IT information technology capital of the world, and its software industry contributes to the global economy of $150 billion. India has produced giants like Tata Consultancy, Infosys, Wipro, TechM, and others.
These are global players who are employing lakhs of people. Just because of these large companies, there are offshoots that are employing millions in India and a few more million Indians across the world.
Biotechnology is one area where India has made significant strides, and particularly, it was pridefully visible during the COVID-19 pandemic when India was the leader in global vaccination production. India has been exporting millions of doses of vaccines across the world.
Today, India is a leader, and it produces 50% of the global demand for vaccines and generic medicines. Imagine whether it was possible 78 years ago.
Nuclear energy, telecommunication, and renewable energy, India will be producing 450 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2030, and with the speed at which India is progressing in implementing the technology, India probably might achieve this target much before that date.
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India is launching rockets and missiles at the lowest cost ever possible...
All this is a result of the hard work and dedication of its scientists, engineers and, of course, its policymakers, which are a testament to its vision of being a global leader.
The fourth element is India’s defence. India was a vulnerable country in 1947, and today, India is a strategic strength.
All global powers want India in its partnership, whether it is the Russian alliance or the American coalition.
India is the sought-after strategic partner, and it is based on the history of 20 lakh Indian soldiers, who, with their bravery, valour and pride, have been a testament to Indian values in World War I and II.
Colonial India fought under the British flag. The Indian soldiers also fought as Azad Hind Fauj, and the track record of these soldiers, irrespective of their side of allegiance, has been impeccable and continues to do so.
There have been numerous wars since 1947, with the Indo-Pakistani war over Kashmir, where the Indian forces were successful in protecting the rights of Kashmiris.
It is important to mention the Chinese betrayal of India and the Panchsheel agreement.
But lessons were quickly learnt after the 1962 deceit, only to become a military might crushing Pakistan’s invasion in 1965 and carving out Bangladesh in 1971.
Today, the Indian armed forces are the second largest in the world and have 14 lakh active jawans and officers defending about 15,000
km of land border and 7,500 km of coastlines across the abrasive, cold Himalayan terrain or the rough seas in the south or the scorching deserts in the west and the impenetrable terrains of the northeast.
With nuclear tests like Pokhran 1 in 1974 and Pokhran 2 in 1998, India has established itself as a nuclear power, and it has shown the world that it is capable of defending its sovereignty against any external threat.
India also uses a nuclear doctrine to its strength, which is based on “no first use”, and therefore, India continues to maintain a credible minimum deterrence, which reflects its commitment to responsible nuclear stewardship.
It is respected across the world that India has not threatened any country with nuclear armaments.
India has developed indigenous fighter aircraft, such as Tejas, and has advanced missile systems, numerous of them like Agni, Nag, Brahmos, and Prithvi, a number of which are capable of delivering nuclear warheads.
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...14 lakh active jawans and officers defending about 15,000 km of land border and 7,500 km of coastlines...
INS Vikrant is India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier and has in its fleet a nuclear-powered submarine, which would have been imagined 78 years ago.
Currently, India is the sought-after strategic partner, and powerful military might, like the United States, Russia, France, and Israel, want to have joint military exercises with India.
They are finding opportunities to partner with India in ventures for advanced defence technologies.
From the defence politico perspective, the Quad alliance between India, the United States, Japan and Australia is only evidence of India’s growing role in ensuring world security and stability in the region.
Therefore, India’s military weight, combined with diplomatic efforts, has positioned the country as a key player in global security architecture, and that is a feat that is second to none.
Indian progress is highly impressive for any country that gained independence around the 1940s and 50s.
The fifth element is political evolution. India was a nascent democracy in 1947, but after 78 years, its democratic system is an example across the world.
India is a global diplomatic player, and its models of democracy are vast. And its democracy is a record-breaking example for even developed countries.
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Indian progress is highly impressive for any country that gained independence around the 1940s and 50s
Indian election commission conducted the 2024 general elections with an adult franchise of about 96 crore (960 million) voters spread across 10 lakh (1 million) polling stations.
They used 19 lakh (1.9 million) electronic voting machines and engaged 1.5 crore (15 million) staff and officials to smoothly run the polling. They used 4,00,000 vehicles, 1,700 sorties and 135 trains to move goods and officials.
The transfer of power has always been seamless, and it reflects the strength of democracy and respect for the Indian constitution.
In 1947, India was a newborn political entity, and it had an enormous task of uniting a diverse and divided population with immense
challenges like poverty, illiteracy, and communal tensions, but then its leaders and policymakers had integrated over 550 princely states to form the Indian Union.
Despite these hurdles, India adopted a democratic constitution in 1950 that ensured fundamental human rights for all its citizens and established a framework for governance based on justice, equality and liberty.
ExpertX recommends that all readers watch a 10-part television mini-series based on the creation of India’s constitution. It’s directed by Shyam Benegal and called “Samvidhan - the Making of the Constitution of India”.
It is a “must-watch” television mini-series for all Indians and students of political science across the world.
It will help to wholly appreciate the magnitude of hard work constituent assembly members undertook and the complexity of issues they navigated successfully while sturdily embracing the “Idea of India”.
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The transfer of power has always been seamless, and it reflects the strength of democracy and respect for the Indian constitution
After 78 years, Indians proudly uphold this constitution, forcefully defend it, and continually express gratitude for its underlying spirit.
Today, India’s political landscape has more than 25 regional parties, starting from the Trinamool Congress in the east to NCP in the west to DMK in the south, the communist party in Kerala to the National Conference in Jammu and Kashmir.
There are many others scattered across the country representing the diversity of Indians.
Their multiplicity only reflects the strength and the resilience of Indian democracy, the respect for diverse opinions on policies, which only comes as a strength in a mature democracy. India has been able to secure that good sense in 78 years.
There had been times when a threat to democracy was imminent, but then Indians stood united and revolted to overcome those threats.
That part of history gives confidence that India, in the future, will also be able to protect its constitution and democratic rights and sustain the overall strength of Indian democracy.
On the global stage, with its leadership in Non-aligned movements during the Cold War, India has emerged as a global player in governance.
It has derived its strength from its strong democratic principles. As a result, India is now positioned to advocate reforms in international institutions like the United Nations.
India has been able to form a significant role in the BRICS organisation, G20 and Shanghai Cooperation organisation.
India is developing strategic partnerships with both the United States and Russian bloc, including its dominance in the South Asia region.
Salute to the Indian Army: under India’s diplomatic initiatives, the army has done 49 United Nations peacekeeping missions and has contributed nearly 260,000 troops over 78 years.
They have been in complex and challenging conflict zones like Korea, Congo, Cambodia, Somalia, Rwanda, Lebanon, and many others.
In all these places, Indian troops have served in various capacities, such as civilian police, military observers, humanitarian assistance, election monitoring, and reconstruction efforts in post-conflict regions.
Nothing short of the greatest accolades to the Indian Army, they have been an example of India’s courage, heroism and bravery not only in fighting wars but also in establishing peace.
From a humble beginning as a newly independent state to a global diplomatic player, India is based on the strength of its constitution and built on its resolve for global peace.
India has displayed its strength of democratic values to the world.
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There had been times when a threat to democracy was imminent, but then Indians stood united and revolted to overcome those threat
Last but not least, the sixth element is its diversity. It has been under threat multiple times, but India is renowned for its incredible cultural, religious, and linguistic diversity. All major religions in the world sit respectfully in India.
Broadly, they are Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Judaism, with numerous languages and dialects crisscrossing those religions.
With 22 official languages, 121 languages spoken by more than 10,000 people, and several dialects and countless accents, there are about 1600 languages spoken across the country.
It is this definition of Indian diversity, unseen elsewhere, that is making this country profound.
From the snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas and spiritual sun-kissed shores of Kanyakumari, where the Vivekananda rock memorial reminds the world of Vaisudheva Kutumbakam (वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम्), the
diversity is not just in respecting the identity of each, but its strength lies in the togetherness, repeatedly demonstrated in 78 years of history.
Thus, India is a symbol of hope in the world today, which is divided by religious, political, and cultural differences.
India demonstrates the spirit of inseparability in diversity, and this togetherness has been there for thousands of years of shared history. It makes India not just a country but a living, breathing celebration of humanity.
This remarkable transformation of 78 years is a source of immense pride for all Indians.
It also reflects its constitution’s commitment to its billion people to make them prosperous, inclusive, and secular and to have a secure future for everybody residing within its boundaries.
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India demonstrates the spirit of inseparability in diversity, and this togetherness has been there for thousands of years of shared history
India is a story of resilience, determination and progress.
As India looks to the future, it stands poised to continue its ascent on the global stage. It is guided by its rich cultural heritage and democratic values.
Therefore, its journey is far from over, but the best is yet to come.
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