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Introduction KNOWLEDGE
– INDIA’S STRATEGIC DRIVER FOR GROWTH Of the eight major drivers of competitive advantage as identified by the World Economic Forum – Knowledge is perhaps the driver which in the coming years is going to prove decisive in the race for economic leadership. The knowledge era has arrived and we as Indians are uniquely placed as knowledge happens to be the core competence of India. Yes, we are not quite there but given the right inputs there can be no doubt that India has a distinct competitive advantage in Knowledge development, acquisition and deployment. Knowledge then must be the strategic tool for us to achieve the objectives of our economic growth and human development. This must be the common thread and we must weave through various elements of our Economic and Social initiatives. India may have failed in its merchandise exports. But its intellectual power is a premium product, sought after across the globe. What has been debated, discussed and critisized as “Brain drain” in the sixties has emerged as the single-most important investment by India in the globalized era. Indian scientists, Indian managers and software developers are in demand everywhere, and their successes lay stress on the importance of fully exploiting this natural advantage. The aggregate contributions of these non-resident Indians are put at Rs.25,000 crore. India has demonstrated its leadership and competitive strength in the world of knowledge development and in knowledge based activities. Indians are leaders in software development, just as Indians are star performers among top level managers of the Fotune-500 companies. This drives home the truth and India should take to the road of knowedge-based development. India should emphasize and implement universal literacy. At the same time, India must maintain its leadership in higher learning. Universal education and excellence in higher learning will provide the ground on which India will become the global giant of the twenty-first century. The best investment that India can make to secure its future in the next millennium is the investment in knowledge creation at all levels and in all spheres of Economic, Social and Cultural activities. |