The Rise of the East: Bridging the Gap and Fostering Collective Growth in the 21st Century

Until 1947, prior to India's independence, the country endured a period of exploitation under British rule. Even after gaining independence, as a young nation, India faced challenges in catching up with the rest of the world. With a closed economy and the imposition of the license raj system, India experienced slow growth. However, the economic reforms and the opening of the market in 1992 changed the trajectory of India's growth, leading to rapid development.

In contrast to the colonial era, where Britain benefited from significant inflows, the limited mindset change within the country caused the UK to gradually lose its leadership role in various aspects. Meanwhile, countries like France, Germany, and Japan began to catch up and, at some point, even surpassed the UK's economy. Given sufficient time, India is poised to do the same. While India's population may pose certain challenges, it can also serve as an asset in overcoming various issues.

The growth of China and India is expected to dominate the narrative of the 21st century. Unless developing nations bridge the gap with the Western hemisphere, the West will experience limited growth opportunities and find themselves awaiting the rise of the East. Although the West may employ strategies such as pandemics, wars, modern gadgets, and genetically modified seeds to maintain their lead, as demonstrated during the COVID-19 situation, countries like China and India, comprising 30% of the world's population, are unlikely to rely solely on Western medicine. They are capable of developing their own vaccines, which may even surpass Western counterparts in quality. Similarly, the Asian giants are unlikely to support a war against Russia initiated by the West. The Western world's gadgets, which have attracted many millennials, are now being countered by cheaper alternatives from China. India, for instance, compelled Apple to establish production units within its borders before allowing them to directly sell their products in the country.

Furthermore, the West's attempts to control agricultural production in the East through bioengineered seeds have not seen significant success thus far. This situation presents a double-edged sword that could affect both sides, prompting the West to approach this matter cautiously. Thanks to digital connectivity and social media, these facts are readily available for everyone to observe.

Moving forward, it is crucial to provide space for all nations to grow. The era of the West's higher growth rates has come to a halt, and the East is poised to catch up within the next two to three decades. By working together, we can overcome stagnation and foster collective growth.

In a captivating lecture delivered by Kishore Mahbubani, a distinguished Singaporean diplomat and astute geopolitical consultant, a thought-provoking insight emerged. He emphasized that when we examine the annals of human history, the initial 18 centuries of the Common Era were predominantly shaped by the ascendance of Asian powers. However, the subsequent two centuries represent a remarkable deviation from this longstanding trajectory. Mahbubani posited that the 21st century holds the promise of a momentous course correction, wherein Asia will reassume its rightful place and emerge as the vanguard of global leadership in the near future.