Is India on track to become a global economic superpower?

The country’s sheer size gives it momentum, but demography is not destiny

    • The recent protests, led by the Cockroach Janata Party, showed there is significant discontent among India’s youth.
    • The recent protests, led by the Cockroach Janata Party, showed there is significant discontent among India’s youth. PHOTO: REUTERS
    Published Wed, Aug 19, 2026 · 07:00 AM

    AS INDIA celebrated its 80th Independence Day on Saturday (Aug 15), many believe that the country’s time to become the world’s next superpower, alongside the US and China, has come.

    However, the path there may be much rockier than is widely expected.

    To be sure, New Delhi’s rise in recent decades is impressive and has already shifted the tectonic plates of global economics and politics.