This book discusses the role historical events played in determining the pattern of growth of Indian manufacturing. Two important historical events significantly influenced the course of Indian manufacturing from the 15th century AD. The first was the arrival of European merchants via sea route pioneered by Vasco-da-Gamma in 1498 and the other was the dawn of the Mughal Empire in 1526. The book explores how these two events provided the appropriate stimulus for the emergence of traditional flexible manufacturing in India and how they played a vital role in the pattern of growth of the Indian manufacturing: The Mughal Empire created an integrated economy of continental size whereas European trading companies expanded the commercial connectivity of the Indian economy and South East Asia. It further investigates how the circumstances created by the colonial administration, factor endowment and market conditions created the complex forms of manufacturing enterprises that India inherited at the time of independence. It is a valuable resource for students of history, economic history, business history and the history of technology.

The majority of workers in South Asia are employed in industries that rely on manual labour and craft skills. Some of these industries have existed for centuries and survived great changes in consumption and technology over the last 150 years. In earlier studies, historians of the region focused on mechanized rather than craft industries, arguing that traditional manufacturing was destroyed or devitalized during the colonial period, and that modern industry is substantially different. Exploring new material from research into five traditional industries, Tirthankar Roy s book contests these notions, demonstrating that while traditional industry did evolve during the Industrial Revolution, these transformations had a positive rather than destructive effect on manufacturing generally. In fact, the book suggests, the major industries in post-independence India were shaped by such transformations. Tirthankar Roy s book offers new and penetrating insights into India s economic and social history.

The inability of developing countries to charter a course for technology development and deployment, independent of developed countries, leads to a continued monopoly of developed countries in the high technology sector. This reality has pushed developing countries up a ladder of technology growth, and this book discusses how India should address these challenges. It will be interesting to witness how the narrative evolves in the context of the development of several potentially disruptive technologies, and the onset of the so-called industrial revolution 4.0. This challenge may manifest itself differentially for developing and developed countries, in regards to their contrasting levels of technology development, employment scenarios, and populations, but in this text, the unique challenges of India are analyzed. The challenge of disruptive technologies is daunting for a country like India, with a large, unskilled population. India symbolizes the types of problems which many developing countries face, but also provides hope and could act as a bridge between different levels of technology development. On one hand, the countys workforce is known to be major provider of IT solutions to the developed world, and on other hand, it produces and exports cheap generic medicines to the worlds poorest countries. However, the challenge of disruptive new technologies is quite significant, and may necessitate a bold and imaginative response from its scientific establishments, STEM Higher Education system, industries, and policy makers. Policy makers may have to shed off some of their legacies and cultural mindsets to genuinely encourage innovation and attract as well as retain talent, even in the face of competition from developed countries. This book suggests that several developing countries facing similar technology or development challenges should join hands. Many of these closely interlinked issues are discussed, and the book aims to stimulate discussion between the diverse players such as those in the sciences, technology, STEM HE, Government policy making, entrepreneurship as well as and business.

Rethinking the future of India through automation. From scavenging to lunar missions, from railway factories to healthcare and even tax planning, automation is growing faster and deeper in India than is visible. In a country where more than a million people get ready for jobs every month, this rise in automation can appear as an unwelcome change or a threat to their livelihood. But the reality is that automation is enhancing efficiency, accuracy and accountability of India’s working professionals in ways that haven’t been seen before. Automation is helping generate information in a data-poor country. It is making India’s private sector more active and government’s functioning more transparent and reliable. Through several case studies of private enterprises and government departments, India Automated chronicles the transformation that India is undergoing and how robotics and process automation are infusing proficiency in our work and personal lives. Automation is turning to be one of the most impactful results of the Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies in India. AI, drones, blockchain, cybersecurity, 3D printing, augmented and virtual reality include automated processes. These are also opening new categories of employment for job seekers. This book argues for deeper collaboration between industrial and government sectors to ensure that automation enhances India’s steady growth while also mitigating its negative impact. With this forward-looking approach, Pranjal Sharma brings us face to face with the reality that it is imperative for India to align itself with this revolution.

Intensive study of small firms in industrial clusters and locations on how to create jobs and achieve Make in India goals.

In recent decades, private investment has led to an economic resurgence in India. But this is not the first time the region has witnessed impressive business growth. There have been many similar stories over the past 300 years. India's economic history shows that capital was relatively expensive. How, then, did capitalism flourish in the region? How did companies and entrepreneurs deal with the shortage of key resources? Has there been a common pattern in responses to these issues over the centuries? Through detailed case studies of firms, entrepreneurs, and business commodities, Tirthankar Roy answers these questions. Roy bridges the approaches of business and economic history, illustrating the development of a distinctive regional capitalism. On each occasion of growth, connections with the global economy helped firms and entrepreneurs better manage risks. Making these deep connections between India's economic past and present shows why history matters in its remaking of capitalism today.

The subject of India's rapid growth in the past two decades has become a prominent focus in the public eye. A book that documents this unique and unprecedented surge, and addresses the issues raised by it, is sorely needed. Arvind Panagariya fills that gap with this sweeping, ambitious survey. India: The Emerging Giant comprehensively describes and analyzes India's economic development since its independence, as well as its prospects for the future. The author argues that India's growth experience since its independence is unique among developing countries and can be divided into four periods, each of which is marked by distinctive characteristics: the post-independence period, marked by liberal policies with regard to foreign trade and investment, the socialist period during which Indira Ghandi and her son blocked liberalization and industrial development, a period of stealthy liberalization, and the most recent, openly liberal period. Against this historical background, Panagariya addresses today's poverty and inequality, macroeconomic policies, microeconomic policies, and issues that bear upon India's previous growth experience and future growth prospects. These provide important insights and suggestions for reform that should change much of the current thinking on the current state of the Indian economy. India: The Emerging Giant will attract a wide variety of readers, including academic economists, policy makers, and research staff in national governments and international institutions. It should also serve as a core text in undergraduate and graduate courses that deal with Indias economic development and policies.