Thread by @thekaipullai

There will be no end to the discussions about the missed eras for India, to propel itself to the next level. Nehruvian Socialism, Indira's Dictatorship, Rajiv Gandhi's naivety can all be termed as lost opportunities.

However, One era that flies totally under the radar is 2004-08

In 2002, India was just coming out of a dark period, where we fought a war, had people like HD Devegowda and IK Gujral as our PMs, and our Govts were as stable as a punch drunk man on a balance beam, had a GDP Growth of 3.8%. China was at 9%.

Then, in a miracle, by 2004, we had GDP growth of 8%, as compared Chinese Growth of 10%. We had a GDP of 709 Billion USD. China was at 2 Trillion

The 2000 - 04 NDA period was not a miracle. NDA initiated infrastructural reforms like PM Gram Sadak Yojana, Golden Quadrilateral

Year 2000 saw the establishment of the SEZ scheme, which gave rise to our IT industry. Our Telecom policy, worked on revenue sharing mechanism instead of up front payments, which gave a massive boost to mobile phones. There was also big Disinvestments & Sarva Shikshan Abhiyan.

All in all, in 2004, we were well on the way to catching up to China. We were infrastructurally strong, fiscally secure and had a strong foundation to make the big leap.

Then NDA lost and Congress came to power with the support of the Indian communists.

Then this happened

From 2004 to 2009, China's GDP went from 2 Trillion to 4.5 Trillion. We went from 709 Billion to 1.1 Trillion.

China increased its GDP by 125% in those four years. India managed 67%.

India had everything ready to make the big leap. We squandered it.

I read today, that in 2007, Intel was ready to establish a chip factory in India. Because the Govt dithered, that plant went to China. I am sure, There must be many others, about whom we have no idea.

Congress and Communists had been given the best platform in India's history.

They blew it big time. And China went so far ahead, that we could never catch up.

By some miracle, we again have a chance to gain back lost ground. I hope the PM doesn't miss it, like we did in 2004.

P:S: Nothing ever good comes out of having Communists in power.

The 2 biggest What Ifs, in independent India's history, will always be

1. What if Shastri hadn't died in 1965?
2. What if Vajpayee hadn't lost the 2004 Elections?

From 1999 to 2004, India had worked hard, put our noses to the Grindstone and were ready to step up.

In 2004, India decided to step back, relax, sit on the couch and drink beer.

China OTOH, hit the afterburner.

The difference is there for all of us to see.