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I don’t understand what Modi is doing. It seems like many huge companies based in the west will be looking to leave China (as much as possible) in the next 5ish

I don’t understand what Modi is doing. It seems like many huge companies based in the west will be looking to leave China (as much as possible) in the next 5ish years and India is a democracy perfectly situated to grab all of that economic productivity. They have the education, the infrastructure, and the population. All they have to do is be a bit less dictator-y than China and a bit more respectful of human rights. That should be a pretty low bar. But for some reason when Modi should be positioning India as “we’re not like China” he instead seems intent on repeatedly pointing out the similarities on the international stage. It just seems really short-sighted to me.

asenna 6y ago
Absolutely agree with this. In fact even if the minimum they do is walk back to how the country was before Modi, that would be a huge step forward. Not talking about politics here but just to a time when comedians and journalists didn't have to fear harassment for doing their jobs. Also a fun fact - Modi has not done a single open, unscripted press conference in his entire 7 years of being in power! Can you actually believe that. He hasn't taken a single question on camera that was not pre-determined. Most likely because of the lesson he learned after the one interview he did with a reputed Journalist a while back before coming to power - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAGAYL8dtic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAGAYL8dtic The effort that he puts into forming his public-image is actually impressive at some level.
- Bang2Bay 6y ago
  probably the likes of arfa khanum are not of interest to modi.
- ramphastidae 6y ago
  No press conferences, massive rallies during a pandemic, and demonizing foreign powers for not solving problems they are responsive for solving? Sounds familiar ...
deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
Bang2Bay 6y ago
It is better to be a consumer than a west leaning producer. One would never advance when the primary market is outside the country.
akiselev 6y ago
Many Indian politicians learned the exact opposite lesson from the 90s to 2000s when China's economy far outgrew India's despite the supposed geographical, labor, and education similarities between the two (i.e. see the debate from a western perspective in [1][2][3]). The idea that democracy and free markets help with economic growth simply didn't pan out for India w.r.t. its neighbor and biggest rival. As far as Modi is concerned, why keep trying something that doesn't work? Especially when the alternative is self serving. [1] https://foreignpolicy.com/2003/07/01/can-india-overtake-china/ https://foreignpolicy.com/2003/07/01/can-india-overtake-chin... [2] https://foreignpolicy.com/2009/10/06/india-plays-catch-up/ https://foreignpolicy.com/2009/10/06/india-plays-catch-up/ [3] https://foreignpolicy.com/2012/07/05/think-again-indias-rise/ https://foreignpolicy.com/2012/07/05/think-again-indias-rise...
- baybal2 6y ago
  One needs to be heavily inebriated to call India a market economy even today, after 3 decades of supposed economic "liberalisation." I myself is in the process of scouting an opening for a satellite office in India now. The progress India made towards freer markets since a decade ago is this ->_<- much. Best to compare it with Bloc of late eighties, early nineties.
- sumedh 6y ago
  Didnt China open up to the world before India, so they had a headstart.
plinkplonk 6y ago
>I don’t understand what Modi is doing. I assure you, neither does he. Not a particularly intellectual or introspective man. He is a living example of the Peter Principle. Too bad a billion people have to suffer for his incompetence.
nirav72 6y ago
India doesn't have the infrastructure to beat china.

asenna 6y ago

Absolutely agree with this. In fact even if the minimum they do is walk back to how the country was before Modi, that would be a huge step forward. Not talking about politics here but just to a time when comedians and journalists didn't have to fear harassment for doing their jobs. Also a fun fact - Modi has not done a single open, unscripted press conference in his entire 7 years of being in power! Can you actually believe that. He hasn't taken a single question on camera that was not pre-determined. Most likely because of the lesson he learned after the one interview he did with a reputed Journalist a while back before coming to power - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAGAYL8dtic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAGAYL8dtic The effort that he puts into forming his public-image is actually impressive at some level.

Bang2Bay 6y ago
probably the likes of arfa khanum are not of interest to modi.
ramphastidae 6y ago
No press conferences, massive rallies during a pandemic, and demonizing foreign powers for not solving problems they are responsive for solving? Sounds familiar ...

deleted 6y ago

[deleted]

Bang2Bay 6y ago

It is better to be a consumer than a west leaning producer. One would never advance when the primary market is outside the country.

akiselev 6y ago

Many Indian politicians learned the exact opposite lesson from the 90s to 2000s when China's economy far outgrew India's despite the supposed geographical, labor, and education similarities between the two (i.e. see the debate from a western perspective in [1][2][3]). The idea that democracy and free markets help with economic growth simply didn't pan out for India w.r.t. its neighbor and biggest rival. As far as Modi is concerned, why keep trying something that doesn't work? Especially when the alternative is self serving. [1] https://foreignpolicy.com/2003/07/01/can-india-overtake-china/ https://foreignpolicy.com/2003/07/01/can-india-overtake-chin... [2] https://foreignpolicy.com/2009/10/06/india-plays-catch-up/ https://foreignpolicy.com/2009/10/06/india-plays-catch-up/ [3] https://foreignpolicy.com/2012/07/05/think-again-indias-rise/ https://foreignpolicy.com/2012/07/05/think-again-indias-rise...

baybal2 6y ago
One needs to be heavily inebriated to call India a market economy even today, after 3 decades of supposed economic "liberalisation." I myself is in the process of scouting an opening for a satellite office in India now. The progress India made towards freer markets since a decade ago is this ->_<- much. Best to compare it with Bloc of late eighties, early nineties.
sumedh 6y ago
Didnt China open up to the world before India, so they had a headstart.

plinkplonk 6y ago

>I don’t understand what Modi is doing. I assure you, neither does he. Not a particularly intellectual or introspective man. He is a living example of the Peter Principle. Too bad a billion people have to suffer for his incompetence.

nirav72 6y ago

India doesn't have the infrastructure to beat china.