From leapfrogging to trailblazing: India in 2047

As India celebrates today its 78th Independence Day, it needs to reflect on how it intends to harness and utilize the Shakti (manifesting energy) of its young nation in coming two decades.

Between 2025 and 2047 — when India will celebrate its centenary as an independent nation — Indian policy-makers and CEOs have a choice:

Either they leverage Indian talent and technologies like AI to LEAPFROG other advanced economies to become the LARGEST ECONOMY with the BIGGEST GDP in the word

Or they can harness the uniquely Indian social and ecological consciousness and its rich spiritual traditions to TRAILBLAZE the co-building of a WISE ECONOMY that is low in resources and yet rich in socio-ecological impact.

I will use a sport metaphor to explain the difference between these 2 options:

LEAPFROGGING is akin to running on an *existing* well laid-out *single* track. The finish line is well defined. You mindlessly run as fast as you can and try to *overtake* those before you to reach the finish line *first*

TRAILBLAZING is having the courage to get off that “official” track and, through trial-and-error and using your ingenuity, chart your *own* path.

Since you are a pioneering trailblazer, no one is ahead of you: so it’s frightening. It’s easier to competitively overtake someone ahead of you than to *intuitively* navigate your way in uncharted territory.

Leapfrogging requires sheer AMBITION and raw FORCE.

Trailblazing requires INSPIRATION and CREATIVE LEADERSHIP.

Leapfrogging is docilely following the rules of a game (and references) established by others.

Trailblazing is creating a whole new game — that others (BRICS nations) will be inspired to learn to play. YOU become (embody) the new reference.

I would like to see India tap its people’s audacity, creativity, and empathy to become the TRAIBLAZING BHARAT that can build a bright FRUGAL ECONOMY by 2047 that becomes the inspiration of the whole world.