This is India:
- 11% of Fortune 500 CEOs
- 90+ unicorn founders are Indian-born
- 1/3 of all engineers in Silicon Valley are from India
Why have they all left India to succeed?
Here's the hidden truth about the world's most controversial brain drain 🧵:
First, let's understand the scale of this exodus:
- 1.3M Indians left between 2015-2022
- 225,000 renounced citizenship in 2022 alone
- 1.5M Indian students studying overseas
This isn't just migration…it's a transformation of global leadership.
The economic impact is staggering:
- IT sector missing $15-20B yearly potential
- Shortage of 2.4M doctors
- $160B lost annually to brain drain
For perspective:
That's more than India's entire defense budget (~$74.3B).
Look at the paradox:
India simultaneously:
- Leads global tech companies
- Produces top innovators
- Creates world-class talent
Yet struggles to keep any of them.
The reason? There are a few key factors…
The reality on the ground:
- 7.33% unemployment rate (2022)
- Significantly lower wages than global standards
- Limited R&D investment
- Restricted innovation opportunities
This creates a powerful push factor.
But here's where it gets interesting…
While India loses talent, it gains something else:
- Massive remittance inflows
- Global knowledge transfer
- International influence
A hidden advantage that will only strengthen as global mobility increases.
The story is clear:
- Microsoft
- Google
- Adobe
- IBM
All run by Indians who left India.
But now something fascinating is happening...
India's trying to reverse the flow:
- Increased R&D investment
- Competitive salary structures
- Enhanced education systems
- Tax benefits for returners
@andreijikh breaks down India’s future potential here:
But there’s a race against time in the background…
By 2030:
- India will have world's largest working-age population
- Global demand for talent will surge
- Competition for skilled professionals will intensify
This creates an unprecedented opportunity:
India isn't just losing talent.
It's creating a global network of influence.
Think about it:
While China builds ports, India builds the most powerful partnerships and knowledge expansion through its people.
The future will be fascinating:
India must balance:
- Talent retention
- Global diaspora benefits
- Economic growth
- Innovation capacity
As they race to become a developed nation by 2047.
The hidden truth about India's brain drain?
It's not just about loss, but transformation.
Sometimes the biggest exports aren't products.
They're people who change the world.
This is the new “oil” that nations will compete for.
The Global Talent Competitiveness Index 2023:
I lived in India pre-COVID for 6 months.
The energy was incredible.
Vibrant is an understatement with constant evolution and new shops and businesses starting up every day.
Perhaps the polar opposite to Europe…
However, there are undoubtedly many challenges ahead for India.
Amidst all the drama about H-1B visas, Taiwan just yesterday announced a new visa program specifically for skilled Indian workers.
And for a full deep-dive into the H-1B visa situation this thread by @RobertMSterling breaks things down excellently.
The extent of the situation with India is certainly alarming.
That all said, the collective spirit of “we can do it” will prevail there I believe – it’s a matter of time.
Of course there are obstacles, but with the expertise and influence that Indians have accrued over the years…
The Indian bull run will surely be quite the spectacle.
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Thank you for reading!
For more posts and insights on the future of global citizenship, follow @0x_ale
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