The largest democracy in the world. The second most populous nation. The sixth largest economy. By sheer numbers, these appear as accolades for one of the largest success stories to an outsider. Dig deeper though and it becomes clear that all’s not well. The numbers are partly right in that it illustrates the mammoth economic potential, waiting to be channeled. The key to this is inclusive progress and effectively overcoming the three biggest impediments:

Skill development and employment for the future workforce

To meet the dynamic talent demands of the future, the Indian workforce would need reskilling by 2020, according to the World Economic Forum’s report. India will add more than 10-12 million working age people every year, for the next decade. In order to utilize this wave of resources, massive efforts will be required to provide the right skills and gainful employment. National, state and local interventions will be required and experts from each, need to address the skill gaps and plan corrective measures in the form of education and training systems.

Socio-economic inclusion of rural India

The socio-economic divide in India is as stark as night and day. However, as aspirations of rural India continue to merge with that of urban India, 2030 is slated to have around 40% of Indians living in urban areas. An enormous boost to the physical and digital infrastructure is a key driver to bridge the divide. The government needs to invest heavily to meet the aspirations of its majority rural population and work tirelessly to bring them into the fold of growth.

A healthy and sustainable future

Nine of the world’s ten most polluted cities are in India. If this isn’t alarming enough, the trajectory we’re moving in is on a downward spiral and immediate measures are required to amend our ways. With India’s rising middle class, a consumer focused economy is coming to the fore. Along with this comes a higher demand for unsustainable resources that we simply cannot deal with at this point. Macro level policy changes and collaboration between government, civil society and businesses are the need of the hour and will determine the quality of life for India’s citizens and whether we survive to tell the tale.

Tackling these three major problems is no easy task. A collaborative approach is the way forward to unlock the full potential of this rapidly increasing consumer market. Whoever the next government may be, one thing’s for sure, they have their work cut out for them.

For a simplified and exclusive platform to a network that’s purpose-built, consider having a look at LinkCXO.