India, the world’s fourth-largest economy by nominal GDP, is steadily moving towards becoming the third largest by around 2030, overtaking a now relatively weakened Germany. According to IMF projections, India has already surpassed Japan and is firmly placed behind the United States, China and Germany in global economic ranking. Germany, long considered the industrial backbone of Europe, is currently dealing with economic stagnation and political uncertainty.
From Angela Merkel to Olaf Scholz to Friedrich Merz, the West European nation has witnessed significant political transition in recent years. This frequent churn in leadership has coincided with Germany almost slipping into recession twice in the last three years, weakening its traditional economic dominance.
And Germany is not alone in political turbulence. The United Kingdom, which ruled large parts of the Indian subcontinent for nearly two centuries has seen four Prime Ministers between 2019 and 2024. From Boris Johnson to Liz Truss, to Rishi Sunak, and now Keir Starmer, leadership instability has visibly affected governance, economic confidence and global standing. The once unchallenged power centre now struggles for coherence on the global stage. That's developed nations for you, leave alone India's neighbours!
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| Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash |
India, in sharp contrast to its developed peers, remains a relatively young nation post-independence that has built consistent global credibility in recent years. It has emerged as a reliable leader in the developing world through economic diplomacy, strategic partnerships and geopolitical balancing. It would be deeply unfair to undermine the development groundwork during the UPA era when foundational reforms like Aadhar was conceptualised. However, it is equally true that the NDA government since 2014 has pushed execution, scale and speed into projects like these that had somehow remained stalled for years.
On the economic front, India today holds the title of the world’s fastest-growing major economy for multiple consecutive years. Under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana alone, over 50 crore bank accounts have been opened, significantly expanding financial inclusion. In infrastructure development, India today constructs roughly 30 kilometres of national highways per day, one of the fastest rates globally. The country now operates over 140 airports, many of them under the UDAN regional connectivity scheme, extending aviation access to smaller towns that were once completely disconnected from the national map. From record-breaking bridges to the tallest statues, India’s development story has become both visible and verifiable.
Yet, despite all of this, one factor stands tall above the rest and that is political stability at the centre. Since May 2014, India has had an uninterrupted government at the Centre, now extending into its eleventh year. This continuity has allowed long-term policymaking, steady economic reforms and sustained infrastructure planning. In contrast, frequent regime changes across Europe have pushed several governments into survival mode, where political positioning often overshadows policy delivery. When leadership changes too often, governance slows down and public outcomes weaken.
Indian democracy, without doubt, faces legitimate challenges. The opposition, civil society and intellectual voices across ideological lines are right in flagging concerns related to several institutions, accountability and transparency. These issues demand serious discussion and structural improvement. But, even amid such debates, one reality stands confirmed by global comparison. A stable government at the centre has indeed acted as India’s strongest growth accelerator in the last decade, and that stability, irrespective of political preferences, deserves honest acknowledgement.