Closing Blog from my US State Department Professional Exchange - Seven Learnings
My last blog from my fascinating experience participating in the US State Department professional fellows program exchange will touch upon a wider scope of topics than my last two blogs, which were pretty specific to my area of work- inclusive urban development. There is so much that I have learned while here that I want to share because - candidly - the US has a lot to learn about, and from, India… I will ask for forgiveness in advance if any of my takeaways aren’t fully accurate, as they are based on a mix of anecdotes and some research to fill in the gaps. If anyone reads this and has additional data or examples to clarify what I have below, please DM me so I can weave it in! Here goes…
1. India is the most populous country in the world, but its birthrate has declined. Home to 1.45 billion people - one-sixth of the world’s population according to estimates by the United Nations, India overtook China as the most populous country in 2023. In Delhi alone, there are 33.8 million residents and there are six mega-cities in India (more than 10 million people). Interestingly, we heard from a number of people that recent economic development has resulted in a significant decline in births. According to the BBC, India's fertility rate has fallen substantially - from 5.7 births per woman in 1950 to the current rate of 2. And in Kerala, where I spent four days, the rate is closer to 1.4. Indeed, my Indian State Department Fellow, Anu, shared that many Keralans are opting for fertility treatment because they are having children at a later age.
2. India has 122 major languages and 1599 other languages. While the language that is most commonly spoken is Hindi, the reality is that India is one of the most multi-lingual countries in the world, second after Papua New Guinea according to the People's Linguistic Survey of India. These figures also undercount the numerous dialects spoken. Many of those we met cited that there are over 2000 dialects in India. Having this many languages in one country is a major challenge for the government and service provision and is one of the reasons why English is so commonly spoken (beyond India’s colonial history of course).
3. Mobile cashless payments and other e-services are ubiquitous. Except for in very rural areas of India, mobile phone and mobile payments are the norm. I caught uber-rickshaws and paid for items from street vendors through a tap of my phone. The nation has become the second-largest digital market in the world, after China, with adoption occurring at an accelerated pace as illustrated in this article. The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) was developed by the National Payments Corporation of India in 2016. According to Evan Freiden’s article “India’s plan for a world without cash”, it is a system “that powers multiple bank accounts into a single mobile application”, allowing users to make peer-to-peer and peer-to-business payments via their phone on an app and by scanning QR codes. India has also worked to ensure each of its residents has a unique identification number (much like our social security numbers) and a bank account connected to mobile technology so that they can make payments and receive government benefits electronically. According to several I spoke with, this has enabled many Indians to increase their revenue capacity if they run a business, improves efficiency in receiving services, and reduces corruption (bribes cannot be taken as easily to accelerate payment of fees, for example).
4. India is investing heavily in public transportation in cities. India is investing in public transit and metro systems to alleviate congestion, reduce pollution, improve commute times and increase connectivity. Public transit investments have been a priority for the Indian government for the last two decades. In 2006, the national government proposed the development of a metro rail system in every city with more than 2 million residents and in 2014 announced that it would increase this target, providing financial assistance for the implementation of a metro rail system to all Indian cities having a population of more than 1 million (there are more than 65 cities meeting that criteria as of 2023!). In 2015, the Union Urban Development Ministry's proposal to implement metro rail systems in 50 cities was approved. One thing to note about this investment is that the national government is prioritizing public-private models for its metros due to the high cost, and based on what I saw, these models seem to be working because the metro systems have planned increases in lines and kilometers served. India has also been replacing gas-fueled buses with electric buses in cities throughout the country. Check out this list of metro projects in India and you’ll see that most have been initiated in the last decade!
5. India has some of the worst pollution in the world, but its commitment to environmental sustainability appears strong. Delhi, the city where I spent the most time during my stay, has particulate matter consistently over 300 in the winter months, generally classified as poor to hazardous. The air has a hazy look and feel and at times breathing is impacted or your eyes might sting. There is no doubt that this level of pollution has deleterious effects on its resident's health. I asked numerous people about the cause and got different responses including farmers in the outskirts using “slash and burn” methods and burning wood for cooking, continued widespread coal production, pollution from nearby factories, vehicles and construction. That being said, we also heard plenty about efforts to go green. As an example, in Delhi, the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) instituted mandatory non-renewal of all vehicles older than 15 years starting in Spring 2023. The rule extends to all vehicles owned by various state governments, corporations and transport department buses. Likewise, in Kerala, the airport is 100% renewable and other airports are following suit. I asked about EV infrastructure and was informed that there has been a proliferation of EV chargers over the last few years. As of 2023, India has approximately 25,000 public EV chargers and the Indian government has set targets to further expand this infrastructure, aiming for 400,000 charging stations by 2026 (as a comparison, the US has 200,000 EV charging ports as of 2025). With this infrastructure getting developed, residents are increasingly purchasing electric 2 and 4-wheel vehicles.
A few examples of other national initiatives related to sustainability include:
National Solar Mission: India has set an ambitious target of achieving 500 GW of non-fossil fuel-based capacity by 2030, with more than half of that figure based on solar.
Wind Energy Development: India is the fourth-largest producer of wind energy globally and continues to expand its capacity.
National Electric Mobility Mission Plan: Promotes the adoption of electric and hybrid vehicles to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
National Bio-Energy Mission: The Ethanol Blending Program (EBP) aims to achieve a 20% ethanol blending target in petrol by 2025-26.
6. India is experiencing rapid economic growth, but many refer to it as “jobless growth”. India has been developing at economic growth levels of 7-9%, rates unheard of in the US, which saw an average rate of 3.5% from 2021-2023. Prime Minister Modi has set a target of 6.4% for 2024-25, acknowledging a slowdown. That being said, many have shared that this growth has not produced the jobs anticipated and as a result many Indians aren’t feeling the benefit. In fact, much like in the US, the growth in India has primarily been concentrated among the 10% most wealthy and income disparities have risen. The wealthiest 10% of households in India hold approximately 77-80% of the country’s total wealth, according to estimates by the Credit Suisse Global Wealth Report (2023). According to several people we met with, India’s economy is predominantly informal, about 90% based on estimates from the International Labour Organization (ILO) and India’s National Sample Survey (NSS). As a caveat, we were told that the definition of “informal economy” is excessively far-reaching (sole-proprietors, vendors, and gig economy workers are considered informal workers, as well as temporary workers and daily wage earners so it is hard to get the full picture through existing data. Nevertheless, it seems safe to say that while the economic growth India has experienced has reduced poverty significantly (according to the World Bank, India’s poverty rate has dropped substantially from around 30% in 2011 to about 16-18% in 2021), however it hasn’t resulted in equitable and inclusive growth.
7. India is a spiritual country and this contributes to a shared value system. Religion and spirituality is palpable and highly diverse in India. WIth six primary religions and half a dozen minor religions and indigenous beliefs, it seems you regularly stumble upon a temple or shrine (whether Hindu, Jain, Buddhist, or other). Religion is becoming a complex topic because the current national government has a decidedly Hindu nationalist streak and has fostered significant division in a nation that has been remarkably pluralistic and unified in its religious diversity, albeit by no means perfect. Despite more than a half century of rule under a secular party prior to the Modi regime, religion seems to permeate everyday life. I visited several temples and participated in an “Aarti” ceremony of devotion to the River Ganges and witnessed that the call for selflessness, enlightenment and doing for others emanates both within and outside places of worship. We heard in many of our visits how devoted Indians are to their families, their community and their country. And in many cases, such as the Jamia Millia Islamia School that we visited, an emphasis is based on values-based work and education. Of course, independent India’s founding leader, Mahatma Gandhi continues to have a huge influence, although he is not revered by all. I would sum it up by saying that while religious tension is on the rise, the spirituality of its people influences every facet of life, and seems to contribute to unity and cohesion that will hopefully overcome the attempts by some to sow division.
Final Thoughts: India is a beautiful country with some of the greatest diversity one can imagine. Overall, the hospitality of Indians is overwhelming in its generosity and attention to detail. At every meeting we attended, we were served tea and/or coffee and snacks, gifts were typically exchanged, and the conversation was one of mutual learning and understanding. India has made huge strides in becoming what many refer to as “an emerging economy”, in large part because of its strong emphasis on education, infrastructure projects, and investments in accelerated growth, as well as its celebration of diversity and multiculturalism. India’s talent pool is in high demand by the world, due to educational and skills levels and it is making great strides in environmental sustainability. All of these factors give me great hope for India’s future. I truly believe that we as Americans have a lot to learn from India’s experience and that both our populations would benefit greatly from increasing our mutual understanding and exchange.