Network18 Founder Authors Book on the India-China Battle
Superpower? The Amazing Race Between China’s Hare and India’s Tortoise
Penguin Books India announced the forthcoming launch of a definitive book on India and China by Raghav Bahl, one of the country’s leading mediapersons and the founder and editor of Network18. Titled Superpower?: The Amazing Race Between China’s Hare and India’s Tortoise, the book offers telling insights into how the two Asian powers will dominate the world stage over the next few decades.
Even as the dragon and elephant economies are together projected to take over the world in a matter of decades, there is a palpable difference in the way China and India work on the ground. China is spectacularly efficient in building infrastructure and is currently investing almost half its GDP; it is crafting a new economic idiom that has stood textbook wisdom on its head. Meanwhile, India is the classic example of a ‘promising’ economy: More than half its GDP is consumed by its billion-plus population; half its population is younger than twenty-five, giving it a unique demographic advantage; 350 million Indians are English-speaking, making it the largest English-using country in the world; and it is, of course, the world’s largest democracy.
In the race to superpower status, who is likely to breast the tape — China’s hare or India’s tortoise? China’s spectacular sweep, compared to India’s relatively mild rise, could tempt an easy answer. But history unfolds over time, and Bahl argues that the winner of the race with the biggest stakes ever might not be determined by who is investing more and growing faster today, but by something slightly more intangible: Who has superior innovation and more entrepreneurial savvy and is grappling with and expanding in the most intensely competitive conditions. In the end, it might come down to just one deciding factor: Can India fix its governance before China repairs its politics?
With insights into the two Asian powers’ history, politics, economy and culture, his book has documented rich and comprehensive account of the race to dominance between the two neighbours. For anyone looking to understand China and India and the ways in which these two nations are about to change the history of the world, this is the book to read.
Testimonials:
“[It is] A unique and gripping account of the evolving geo-politics and the role of India and China in a transformational shift. This book will be of much interest to policymakers and investors alike."- Anand Sharma, Minister of Commerce and Industry, Government of India
"An insightful narration on the two most talked about nations in the world today, India and China. Raghav has delved into events, both current and historical, to compare and contrast the economic environment, polity and society."– Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman and Managing Director, Bharti Enterprises
"Raghav brings to bear his unique perspective as a journalist and entrepreneur to a discussion of history, economics and politics, presenting a broad sweep of information and ideas in an immensely lucid, entertaining, articulate and readable way. Un-put-down-able!" – K.V. Kamath, Chairman, ICICI Bank Ltd
About the Book Author
Raghav Bahl is the founder, controlling shareholder and editor of Network18, India’s largest television news and business network which is home to CNN and CNBC in India and also publishes Forbes India. Raghav has over twenty-two years of experience in television and journalism. Widely admired entrepreneur, Raghav was hailed as a Global Leader of Tomorrow by the World Economic Forum and selected by Ernst & Young as Entrepreneur of the Year for Business Transformation in 2007.
