TheStruggle And The Promise by Naushad Forbes

'What is India's future? I deeply believe in India's promise, in our potential for great achievement. I am also old enough to appreciate our ability to snatch failure from the jaws of success.'

THE PROMISE: Our diverse culture has something for everyone. Our young population is thirsty for education and achievement. And a strong private sector is our engine of growth. We can lead the world in the future.

THE STRUGGLE: We struggle to create a business-friendly environment. We lag in innovation. Education, public health and quality of jobs demand attention. Our governments control some things too much and neglect others.

How can the government, citizens and firms turn our struggle into promise and enable India to lead? How can we fix things by learning from best practices elsewhere? How can we ensure openness, inclusivity and innovation? How can independent institutions make up for low state capacity? How can our culture deliver leadership?

In å?The Struggle and the Promise, Naushad Forbes answers these and other critical questions concerning India's progress. He provides a logical, actionable blueprint for getting the balance right between industry, institutions and policy. Backed by rigorous research and copious data, here's a book that shows how to fulfil India's potential.

'Shri Naushad Forbes is a visionary leader of Indian industry who has produced a thought-provoking book that gives meaning and content to his deep belief in India's promise and potential for great achievement. He rightly believes that meaningful solutions to India's economic problems can be found in the framework of a rapidly expanding economy, and, in this context, he lays emphasis on the achievement of a growth rate of 9-10 per cent of GDP year on year on a long-term basis.

He also lays emphasis on the need for creation of jobs for a more inclusive growth process and on more quality jobs, where productivity growth can be robust, where both employee and employer have an incentive to invest in skills and training. Of equal importance is the pursuit of sound educational policies, a viable national agenda for research and labour reforms. Shri Naushad Forbes also stresses on the great importance of industrial development, more ethical and better corporate citizens, more innovative and internationally competitive economy. These and many other ideas add to the richness of the book as a guide to the formulation of public policies.'
-Dr Manmohan Singh, former Prime Minister of India

'Naushad Forbes is a successful businessman, an accomplished engineer and an insightful writer. The Struggle and the Promise is a distillation of his decades of experience. Through both research and personal reflection, he shares what government, industry and institutions can do to accelerate India's development. Like Naushad Forbes, I too believe that India can do more to fulfil its immense potential. He spells out how India can fulfil its promise and contribute to a peaceful and prosperous Asia. This thought-provoking book is a valuable addition to the literature on understanding India's economic past, present and future.'
-Goh Chok Tong, former Prime Minister of Singapore

'Naushad Forbes is an unusual combination of an academic and a businessman. In The Struggle and the Promise, he offers a rich discussion of what ails India and what it must do to achieve its promise, informed both by his extensive learning as well as his ringside experiences as president of one of India's foremost business associations. This refreshingly frank analysis should be read by all those who care about where India is heading.'
-Dr Raghuram G. Rajan, former Governor, Reserve Bank of India

'Among Indian entrepreneurs, Naushad Forbes has had the most rigorous intellectual training. Among Indian intellectuals, he is unique in his experience of running a successful high-tech company. In this deeply researched and compellingly relevant book, Forbes brings both his scholarship and his practical experience to bear on understanding how India got to where it is. Ranging widely over economics, design, institutions and culture, The Struggle and the Promise provides sharp insights into the challenges we face as well as wise suggestions on how we can overcome them. Regardless of profession or political affiliation, every Indian who cares for our country would benefit from reading this book.'
-Ramachandra Guha, author of India After Gandhi: The History of the World's Largest Democracy

'This book is an absolute must-read for the importance of its message, its considered analysis and (not least) reader enjoyment. Naushad Forbes has used his lightly worn scholarship, clarity of thought and real-world experiences as a forward-looking business leader to make a passionate case for his agenda for action. This refreshingly easy read, leavened by a steady flow of witty asides, is particularly important for what Forbes has to say on why and how India must fundamentally change its approach to technological development, scientific research and industrial design. It is hard to praise this book too highly.'
-T.N. Ninan, former chairman, Business Standard

'The Struggle and the Promise by Dr Naushad Forbes ties together the cultural and economic outlook of India. It will serve as a good guide for students, economists and anyone interested in the future of Indian industry and ways to navigate it.'
-Ratan N. Tata, chairman emeritus, Tata Sons

'Naushad Forbes provides a clear-eyed narrative of our nation's standing in the current global economic pecking order based on an innovation-led growth trajectory. He argues convincingly for the need to leverage our nation's diverse culture, the energy of our young and aspirational population, and the spirit of our diverse and entrepreneurial private sector to pursue global leadership in a post-Covid world. His prescription for large-scale investments in innovation, education and research is key for India to strategically evolve a global brand position as a "value adding" partner rather than just a "low cost" vendor. This book will appeal to a wide variety of readers spanning industry leaders, policymakers, academicians and the layperson interested in India's future role in a world transitioning to a new normal.'
-Kiran Mazumder-Shaw, chairperson, Biocon

'A leading industrialist of India, Naushad Forbes reads widely, thinks deeply and writes brilliantly. In The Struggle and the Promise, he draws on this unusual mix of strengths to paint a memorable portrait of what India has been in the last seventy years, what it can be in the coming decades and how it can get there.'
-Arvind Panagariya, former vice chairman, NITI Aayog

'At a time when pessimism seems ever-more tempting, The Struggle and the Promise makes a strongly articulated and thoughtful case for India's future. In this data-rich and incisively argued book, Naushad Forbes uses his decades of experience to set out a clear analysis of India's problems and offers concise ideas for overcoming these challenges. His is a proposition worth listening to.'
-Dr Shashi Tharoor, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha