Learning from other countries’ achievements

In the last three to four decades the world has witnessed a phenomenal rise of China. Literally, within a span of 40 years it rose from being a low-income nation to the second largest economy of the world. As economists are predicting that barring any untoward development within China or globally, it would not be but a few years before its GDP gets close to that of the US. Similarly, India in 1947 at the time of independence had a GDP of $2.7 lakh crore and in 2021 it stands at $3.176 trillion. It has risen to the fifth position in economic hierarchy and likely to overtake Germany in the near future. Latest estimates indicate that the Indian economy has grown in double digits in the first quarter of the current financial year.

Deepak Bagla, the head of the Treasury Leadership Forum, a government setup established by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015, gave a talk recently at a special meeting. He highlighted the rapid progress India has made in the last few years in multiple fields. He focused primarily on the economy, politics and the social sector and is available on the YouTube so that the achievements of Modi government are widely publicised at home and abroad.

Some of the facts and figures are impressive and PM Modi’s contribution to driving the economy to new heights deserves recognition. Bagla kept reminding the audience that India is currently the fastest growing economy and its foremost characteristic is the openness of the Indian market. And its strong point, according to him, was that two-thirds of it is driven by domestic demand. The digitisation of the Indian economy is another major breakthrough that the present government was able to achieve. The foreign direct investment last year was also one of the highest, reflecting the attractiveness and confidence of international community in India’s economic growth.

While speaking about the social sector, Mr Bagla pointed to the huge asset of the educated youth under 45 years of age, the youngest in comparison to other countries that would be available up to 2070. He also mentioned the interest of the people — especially the youth — in a democratic system, as 90 million were first time voters.

The dark side of Modi’s policies was deliberately set aside. It seems this presentation was meant to project Modi’s achievements with elections in mind. There was no mention of what was happening in Occupied Kashmir or in India with the Muslims. It is not that the West and other major powers are not aware of the gross discrimination of Muslims in India and the plight of the Kashmiris, or the high-handedness of Modi toward his political opponents, but these are overlooked as expediency trumps principles.

Another major factor that PM Modi is exploiting is the support that the US and the West are extending to India to counterbalance China’s rising power at the regional level. Modi is playing the balancing game shrewdly by retaining its traditional ties with Russia. India refused to vote against Russia in the recent UN General Assembly resolution that called for “a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine in line with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations”.

The border dispute of India with China does erupt on and off but is being managed so that it does not come in the way of thwarting economic progress. It is not surprising that despite these odds, mutual trade with China is flourishing.

I have been fortunate to witness first hand, during my frequent visits to China, the remarkable progress the country has made in the last four decades to become the world’s second largest economy. It is no ordinary feat to lift over a billion people from the shackles of poverty. China today has a strong middle class and is dealing with considerable confidence and finesse the pressures that the US is mounting to retard its rise.

South Korea is another country that should inspire us. In a few decades it has become one of the world’s largest economies and currently ranks at the 10^th position. In sharp contrast, North Korea that boasts of being a nuclear power and a large conventional force has a struggling economy and is literary a police state.

The object of highlighting the salient features of the progress China, India and South Korea have made especially in the economic field is to remind ourselves as to how we have strayed from focusing on the essentials that are necessary to change the nations’ destiny and raise the quality of the lives of millions of people that are even finding it difficult to afford two square meals. Pakistan, of course being a smaller nation and comprising areas that were relatively less developed, started with a smaller economic base. But its progress has been dismal and the present situation of political infighting, wrong national priorities and weak adherence to basic constitutional obligations by the military have retarded its economic development, sullied its international image, and created fertile ground for TTP and other militant outfits to expand their activities and be on the offensive.

Pakistan’s leadership cannot remain oblivious to how we are trailing behind while nations starting with similar base line have moved ahead. It is not that we are not aware of the ingredients and triggers that prompted their rise. The priorities and focus of our leadership lie elsewhere. Even if leaders are insensitive to the needs of the people or to be fair to them, then in their own self-interest they should return the government to the party or coalition that genuinely commands the support of the people. Hopefully, the Supreme Court would ensure that elections are held in time and a genuine representative government emerges.

A fragile interim setup is intrinsically handicapped to deal with a country facing multiple challenges. More so it is unable to take difficult decisions as it is not fully anchored to the people and lacks their genuine support.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 1^st, 2023.

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