Faster growth, higher share in global trade key to India’s global standing: Rajiv Kumar

05 Feb 2026 Evaluate

In order to gain respect on the world stage, Former NITI Aayog vice-chairman Rajiv Kumar has said that India needs to grow faster and increase its share in global trade. He noted that a robust economy forms the foundation of a strong foreign policy, and economic strength decides a country's position in global politics.

He pointed to China, the world's second largest economy, as an example of how economic growth brings global influence. He said currently, China is leading in 47 out of 53 frontier technologies. That is what gives China the ability to stand up to the US. He highlighted that countries which are weak economically are not taken seriously on the global stage.

Calling global share impact factor, he said that in global merchandise, India’s share has remained below 2% for the last three decades, a figure he described as inadequate for meaningful global influence. He noted that this is one of India's biggest economic challenges. He mentioned that if the country can make it to 10%, then it will have a role on the global stage. 

In the services sector, India's global share stands at around 4%. He stressed that ambitions for global leadership must be backed by a much stronger economic base. About India-US relations amid global policy transitions under the Donald Trump administration, he advised patience and firmness in safeguarding national interests.

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