PUTTING INDIA FIRST TO MAKE INDIA FIRST DR. RAM GopaL AGARWALA DR. RAJIV KUMAR DR. Vineeta SHANKER Chairman Founding Director Director “Even after sixty years of Independence, India is falling short of rising aspirations of its young population. Dedicated efforts are needed to put the economy on a higher trajectory. Recent changes in government provides a unique opportunity to initiate a renewed effort to take India forward on the road to prosperity. Pahle India Foundation is dedicated to this task of putting India first to make India first. With a spirit of selfless service to the country we are engaged in designing roadmaps at the central and state levels for achieving high income status within a generation.” Dr. Ram Gopal Agarwala, Chairman “India is on the move once again. The vision of Shreshta India is an inspiring one. We, at Pahle India Foundation, want to continue contributing to the amplification of this vision and its effective implementation. This has to be done both at the Centre and in the States. OUR VISION PIF is committed to identifying innovative solutions for challenges facing the country and to contribute to the articulation of an India specific development paradigm that takes India to the top of the global rankings by 2050.” Dr. Rajiv Kumar, Founding Director “As India makes a shift to ensuring enduring prosperity for its people, it has to carve out a path unique to its economic, political and cultural ethos. Pahle India Foundation proposes to make a conscious move to integrate the different aspects of this reality. We are committed to ensuring that the solutions to the multitudinous challenges that face the country are rooted in the specific Indian context while making use of the latest development in knowledge in the different fields. In doing so we aim at creating a consensus that will put India first always among all stakeholders.” Putting India First to Make India First Dr. Vineeta Shanker, Director PAHLE INDIA FOUNDATION (PIF) is a not for profit, financial, economic and political research think tank, dedicated to the task of making India first by putting India first. Over the years, we have learnt that there is no universally accepted development model. Each country has to take into account its people, its resources and its socio economic and cultural legacy for effective policy formulation and implementation. At PIF, we work towards this objective of creating the necessary paradigm shift in OUR INTRODUCTION development thinking and practices in India to achieve this aspirational goal. PIF currently has an analytically strong team of dedicated researchers who are self motivated. PIF’s highly qualified team specialises in analysing India’s political economy and its engagement with the global flows in finance, trade and technology. A Not for Profit Research Think Tank ECONOMIC RESEARCH ■ Financial and Economic Research Unit (F.E.R.U) The onus of double digit growth rate for India lies to an extent on the shoulder of a robust financial sector to meet the funding requirements of a growing economy. To this end, F.E.R.U tracks key policy changes both domestically and internationally, analyses their impact on the macro and micro economy and attempts to influence policy change within the financial sector through primary survey and secondary research. ■ Environment, Renewables and Infrastructure The economy of a country is inextricably related to its environment, electricity production and consumption and infrastructure. Energy and climate change related policies have often been viewed, incorrectly, as deterrents to economic development. The policy oriented research at PIF aims at identifying innovative policy solutions in development thinking for creating a more sustainable development model to address issues in these sectors. ■ Manufacturing, Defence and Defence Procurement Policy With recent liberalisation of the FDI policy for defence production in India and using the Make in India campaign as the backbone, it is time for India to step up domestic defence production and defence exports. PIF works closely with the Ministry of Defence and DRDO in organising seminars and carrying out research in this area with the purpose of assisting India to achieve greater autonomy in defence production and maximise employment generation in the sector to become self-sufficient in defence production. OUR ECONOMIC RESEARCH ■ IT, Retail, E-Commerce, Trade and Services The services sector in India has been the driving force behind India’s recent economic growth. Retail trade and now e-commerce have witnessed substantial growth in the recent years and are expected to contribute significantly to GDP growth in the future. PIF’s work on ACTIVITIES e-commerce and retail trade, amongst others, focuses on innovative policy answers. ■ Agriculture and Agro Processing Even as India focuses on manufacturing growth, we cannot afford to ignore the agrarian economy. Another green revolution has been awaited for long. Reforms in spot market, development of backend infrastructure, agro processing, agro imports and the state of commodity markets are some of PIF’s priority research areas in agriculture. ■ Skill Development, Education and Health Education, including skill development, and health have always been the two focal points of a sound social sector; India has a long way to go in both. Public spend on both education and health have shown a declining trend in the recent past. PIF will endeavour to bring into sharper focus the policy issues in the social sector. ■ Global Economy and Foreign Policy India’s foreign policy is now sharply focused on its neighbourhood and on achieving India’s economic interests in global markets. PIF undertakes research on policy issues pertaining to the formulation of India’s exim policies by supporting the Government in formulating India’s negotiating positions both in multilateral and bilateral forums and in identifying constraints and opportunities for Indian Comprehensive Research in Critical Policy Areas exporters in foreign markets. POLITICAL ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH UNIT (P.A.R.U) ■ Constituency Development Plan Members of Parliament are today expected to develop their constituencies in a planned manner. A carefully considered constituency plan and effective implementation can generate tangible gains for the people at the grass root level, all of which can be achieved in the course of the five year electoral cycle. PIF plans to work with elected representatives in the Centre and in States in assessing the needs of their constituency and in formulating a comprehensive development plan with the objective of inclusive growth. ■ Model Village Development Plan The key to India’s growth story lies in her villages. The Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana initiated by the government in 2014 aims at building model villages. Through this programme MPs and MLAs can come together in developing rural infrastructure. It is in this context that PIF works with statesmen in formulating a sustainable development plan for villages by considering its assets and OUR POLITICAL RESEARCH economic wherewithal and work towards creating a model village. ■ Members of Parliament (MP) Exchange Programme ACTIVITIES As India’s engagement with her immediate neighbours and other strategic partners continues to grow, there is plenty that we can learn from each other at the micro level. PIF has conceptualised an MP Exchange Programme that will create opportunities for Members of Parliament to interact with their counterparts from neighboring countries to showcase their achievements and to also discuss best practices in different sectors. ■ Resource Mobilisation Implementation of any plan requires resources, strategic and financial. Based on the Constituency Development Plan and Model Village plan, PIF will also help public representatives in preparing detailed implementation strategies including strategies for resource mobilisation. Integrating Various Aspects of India’s Economy and Polity ■ “Make in India in Defence – An Approach Paper” COMPLETED PROJECTS By: Nitin Gokhale; February 2015 ■ “Chronic Slowflation in India: Is There a Way out?” ■ “Defence Exports – The Way Forward” By: Ramgopal Agarwala, Rajiv Kumar and Nibedita Saha; Approach Paper; By: Nitin Gokhale; March 2015 November 2013 ■ “Development Plan for Nizamabad Lok Sabha ■ “Current trends in the housing finance sector and Constituency (Telangana)” projections in 2025 and the current market share and For Ms. K Kavitha, Hon’ble Member of Parliament. future projections of DHFL housing finance company” by Rajan Kalsotra; April 2015 By: Sujoy Mammen Thomas; January 2014 ■ “Meal Voucher System in India & Its Fiscal Impact” ■ “The middle classes and democracy in India – exit, voice By: Rajnish Ahuja and Nibedita Saha; August 2015 and loyalty” By: Dr. Rajiv Kumar ■ “Reforms Needed for Power Sector in India” Presented at Nairobi, Kenya as part of “Exit, Voice and By: Rajnish Ahuja; August 2015 OUR PUBLICATIONS Loyalty, Middle Class and Democracy in IBSA countries.” ■ “Computing the Socio-Economic Value Addition of FDI January 2014 in the E-commerce Sector” ■ “Approach paper for covering broad aspects of By: Nirupama Soundararajan and Nibedita Saha; August 2015 Rajasthan’s Vision 2020” By Dr. Ramgopal Agarwala with Rajnish Ahuja, Aakriti Chaudhari, Nibedita Saha and Rajan Kalsotra ONGOING PROJECTS Commissioned study for State Planning Board, ■ Small Bank Models Around the World Government of Rajasthan; August 2014 ■ Gold and Skill Development ■ “Indo – Vietnam Ties: The Way Forward” ■ Stakeholder