When people use the term “superpower” in relation to a country, most people will instantly think of the United States, China and Japan. At a push, the United Kingdom might also get a mention because of the history and social impact. A country that might slip under the radar is India, but make no mistake, they are an emerging superpower, with the second largest population on the planet (1.2 billion according to the 2011 Census) accounting for 17% of the planet.
Taking that into consideration, the recent study by networking giant Cisco that revealed that India has the fastest internet traffic growth globally that is expected to have 348 million users by 2017 should indicate that India could soon have a huge influence on the digital world that could change their country and shape the online business world for the years ahead, which is a great call to action for the future.
The Power of the Internet Personified
With the rise of broadband connections and smartphone technology being more readily available in India, it has enabled people to start online businesses, take online courses in business and other professions and ultimately take advantage of the internet in ways that could not have been possible before. Access to an education is something that is not accessible to every family in India, but the more the population can get online and begin to self-educate, it will have a huge impact on both the confidence and the employability of the population, particularly the poorer ones.
There could be 2 billion networked devices in India in 2017 according to Cisco, meaning laptops, smartphones and tablets that are all connected to high speed broadband internet and everything that comes with it. The internet that is now taken for granted in the Western world could have enormous potential for a country that has one of the largest growing economies in the world. The more that the internet becomes available; the more opportunities there will be for the economy to grow even larger.
Endless Potential for Employment and Growth
Who knows, there could be the next Mark Zuckerberg or Steve Jobs waiting to explode their idea onto an unsuspecting world? Access to the internet and all the information and opportunity it holds is almost certainly going to bring about some surprises, and possibly some rivals to the big corporations who are likely to see India become a big noise as their expertise and opportunities improve.
The Times of India in February of this year that the unemployment rate in India is set to rise to 9.4% from 9.3% in 2012. This was according to a prediction from staffing firm Kelly Services. If the census population rate is accurate, that’s an estimated 110 million people unemployed, almost twice the total population of the United Kingdom. With that as a consideration, imagine the employment opportunities that could be opened up when the internet is available to 348 million users. Even if an extra 1% of people could find work online, that would be another 10 million people in work. The boost to the Indian economy would be phenomenal.
The internet has turned the entire world into next door neighbours. We can engage, interact and offer work to anybody at any given time, and India are beginning to see the same level of excitement and opportunity that the rest of the world did when access to the online world became commonplace. By 2017, India will have a significant online presence, and with it a great opportunity to engage and empower the population.
Author: Jenny Beswick is a worldwide traveller and provided this article. When Jen travels she uses her iPhone for calls abroad through the dialtosave cheap international call service. How is your world and travel transforming?
