India has a population of over 1.17 billion people and is projected to become the most populous country by 2034. It has a large youth population and growing middle class. While India's economy has grown at an average of 6.3% over the last decade, making it one of the fastest growing in the world, it still faces challenges of corruption, outdated labor laws, and insufficient infrastructure development.

1. Key Facts – India Key figures: Population : World's second most populous country with 1.17 billion people, representing 17% of the world population. GDP : US$1.237 trillion , which makes it the twelfth-largest economy in the world GDP Growth : Over the last 10 years, India has registered an average GDP growth rate of 6.3% - amongst the highest in the world FDI : The FDI inflow for 2007-08 has been reported as $24bn and for 2008-09, it is expected to be above $35 billion

2. By 2034, India will be the most populous nation in the world with 1.6 billion people. India’s middle class is already larger than the entire U.S. population India is home to the biggest youth population on earth: 600 million people are under age 25 Hindi is the official language and is spoken by more than 30% of the population The Indian Constitution recognizes 22 languages. There are more than 1200 Dialects in India. 29% of India’s population speaks English (language for national, political, and commercial communication

3. Home to.. Languages There are 22 official languages and 1200 dialects in India. Hindi is the most widely spoken language. English is the language of official use. Tribal or Aboriginal language speaking population is large. Religions India is a home to a large number or religions the most popular being Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism. Cultures It is a Multi-cultural society that celebrates holidays and festivals of various religions. India is also home to a large number of native dances and music. Many states and regions have their own local festivals. The three national holidays in India are Independence Day, Republic Day and Gandhi Jayanti, which are celebrated with zeal and enthusiasm across India.

4. Himalayas A mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The Himalayan mountain system is the planet's highest and home to the world's highest peaks, which include Mount Everest and K2. Taj Mahal India is also home to the Taj Mahal, which is in the city of Agra, and as the world knows, is one of the wonders of the world. Wildlife India’s wildlife is both rich and varied. More than 4% of India's land is under forest cover- there are at least 90 national parks and 482 wildlife sanctuaries. In terms of animals, the country is one of the 12 mega diversity areas in the world.

5. Infrastructure Indian Railway Indian Railways has one of the largest and busiest rail networks in the world, transporting over 18 million passengers and more than 2 million tonnes of freight daily. It is the world's largest commercial or utility employer, with more than 1.4 million employees. Indian road network of 33 lakh Km. is second largest in the world. There are 259 National Highways. Driven by the ambition to connect the various regions of the country, construction and up keeping of roads is one of the country's most continuous and expensive tasks.

6. Socio-economic Environment Tradition and modernity co-exist in India Caste system still exists Religious observances publicly and seriously observed Changing status of women impacts... Size of working population Spending power of the family

7. Changing Face Past Slow Growth Rate as compared to other world economies Protected and Slow Small Consumer Markets Underdeveloped Infrastructure Current One of the fastest growing World economies Sectors for investment are opening up Promising Consumer Markets Significant Investment in Infrastructure creation.

8. "The Indian market is at the cusp of a revolution in packaged beverages. As a general rule, we expect India to outgrow the world average; outgrow Eurasia and the Africa group... We would be happy to see India among our top five global businesses." Ahmet C Bozer President, Eurasia and Africa Coca-Cola

9. Leading to New Opportunities The Indian economy has transformed substantially From an era of controls and licences to a liberal market driven economy with a vibrant private sector. Strong private sector accounts for 75% of GDP Several new sectors established and are booming Like the telecom market India is the fastest growing in the world, with 2 million subscribers being added on every month. India has emerged as the world’s fastest growing wealth creator, thanks to a buoyant stock market and high earnings. More wealth also means more millionaires, whose number has increased to over 15% between 2000 and 2005.

10. Growth Drivers Telecom Untouched by the economic slowdown, telecom service providers added a record 15.4 million wireless users in January this year (2009) Sunil Bharti Mittal, chairman of Bharti Telecom, said: "For the first time, India has emerged as a dominant player in one field and that is telecommunication. I have no doubt that going forward in the next five to seven years, India would cross several more 100 million customers."

11. Pharma & Biotechnology In addition to generating trained manpower and a knowledge base, India is proving to be an ideal setting for manufacturing activities and high-level biotechnology research programs. With the initiatives taken by the government, Indian Biotechnology is poised for a tremendous growth. Software/ IT enabled services one of the fastest growing industries in India – grown at a CAGR of 29% over the last 5 years India exports IT products and IT enabled services to 133 countries 220 of the Fortune 500 companies outsource their software from India.

12. Growth in Infrastructure Modern metro systems in Indian cities Calcutta had it; now Delhi has among the most modern metros in the world Mass rapid transport systems are operational in Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, and Delhi; under construction in Hyderabad and Bangalore. Airports are finally being modernized 5 international and 87 domestic airports have been developed Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Calcutta airports are being upgraded with private sector participation for the first time in India Delhi & Mumbai airports handle 60% traffic.

13. Mall fever has swept India from 0 in 1999 to 100 malls in 2005 and 600 more malls are expected by the end of 2010. The capital of India, New Delhi and itself has seen the emergence of over 40 malls. Multiplexes are mushrooming 150 multiplexes coming up, with 20 in the state of Maharashtra alone. India: 12 screens per million; to US’s 112 screens per million people or Europe’s 75 screens per million.

14. Global Insulation Leaders Speak India is much less affected (by the global slowdown) than other global markets and represents a huge opportunity to not only grow sales in India, but even develop products..." Gottfried Dutine Executive Vice-President Philips, The Netherlands "We have been sourcing services and components out of India since 1998. On an average, we have grown the sourcing volume by about 10 per cent per year.“ Wilfried Aulbur Managing Director and CEO Mercedes Benz India

15. Insulated from Global Meltdown The Global Economy is contracting, while India continues to experience expansion. GDP growth rate ; World Economy (0.5%), EU ( 2%), NIAE (-3.9%), India (6.3%), China (6.7%), USA (-1.6%), UK (-2.8%), Japan (-2.6%), Germany (-2.5%). Source : IMF Outlook 2009

16. Despite Global Slowdown The Indian economy has been witnessing a phenomenal growth since the last decade. The country is still holding its ground in the midst of the current global financial crisis. Despite the global slowdown, the Indian economy is estimated to have grown at close to 6.7 per cent in 2008-09. The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) pegs the GDP growth at 6.1% in 2009-10. Despite the global financial crisis, inflow of foreign capital to the country has increased sharply in 2008-09 as well. Source : Indian Brand and Equity Foundation

17. Rising Middle Class India's middle class will reach 583 million from the current 50 million by 2025.(report by management consultancy firm McKinsey ) The middle class will expand from 50m to 583m, leaving only a fifth of Indians in the bottom household-income bracket, earning less than $2,200 a year. (The Economist, US) India predicted to overtake Germany as the world's fifth-biggest consumer market by 2025. "We think the growth story in India remains and is still domestic driven to a certain degree. ...India appears to be on a stronger footing in the emerging market space." Christopher Knight Head-India Equity JP Morgan

18. Going Forward: INDIAN YOUTH India's youth is having an enormous impact on the economy, media and culture. 47% of India's current population, is under the age of 20. Out of the teenage population, some 22 million belong to the urban middle class and are in a position to influence the economy dramatically as they grow older. They wield $2.8 billion worth of discretionary income, and their families spend an additional $3.7 billion on them every year. By 2015, Indians under 20 will make up 55% of the population--and wield higher spending power. (Business Week, Mumbai) Many millions in this group remain locked in a struggle with poverty. But even in rural India, many young people are having their first taste of rising prosperity and expectations.

19. Challenges Corruption was and to some extent still remains one of the key challenges faced at all levels of Indian bureaucracy. The recent Right to Information Bill has brought about significant changes to the parameters of corruption, inherent in the Indian system over the past few decades. Antiquated labour laws Age old laws, once made for the protection of labour, still have not evolved according to the market demands. “ In India there are 45 laws at the national level and close to four times that at the level of state governments that monitor the functioning of labour markets”, Kaushik Basu, Professor of economics, Cornell University. The basic infrastructure issues have improved marginally, but not enough to keep pace with demand Roads, electricity, transportation lag while telecom has seen major improvement. External political tensions with neighboring countries is an ongoing conflict but does not bear any significant consequences to daily life.

20. "There are enormous opportunities to be tapped in India... The market here is good for both top line growth and profitability..." Andrew Moss Group Chief Executive Aviva plc "In India, the watch segment has grown by almost 30 per cent on an annualized basis. Currently, it is among the top 15 markets for us. In the next few years, it will be among the top four to five markets.“ Jean-Christophe Babin President and CEO Tag Heuer

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