Guest Column: Mobiles, motorcycles empowering New India
They represent empowerment, access, and the determined march of young Indians towards a future shaped by their ambition, resilience and ingenuity. Together, they are engineering a silent revolution across the country — reshaping the economy, bridging the rural-urban divide, and signalling a dramatic shift in the development paradigm.
With 65% of the population under the age of 35, India's demographic dividend is manifesting itself in unprecedented ways. No longer content with waiting for opportunity to knock, young Indians are finding ways to open doors themselves — armed with a mobile phone in hand and the freedom of two wheels under their feet.
The mobile phone has become the single most powerful tool for empowerment. In 2015, India had around 20 crore smartphone users. Today, that number has surpassed 80 crore and is growing. Access to affordable 4G and the rollout of 5G are accelerating the digital revolution. This connectivity has democratised knowledge, fostered entrepreneurship, and expanded markets to the remotest corners.
Meanwhile, two-wheelers are quietly powering rural and semi-urban mobility. For many young Indians, especially in hinterlands, motorcycles are more than just a mode of transport — they're a bridge to education, healthcare, jobs and enterprise. They enable delivery executives in small towns, sales agents in rural belts, healthcare workers in villages, and aspirants travelling daily for coaching classes and vocational training. The boom in two-wheeler ownership reflects rising incomes, expanding horizons, and the aspiration to be mobile, literally and figuratively.
India's recent success lies in the synergy between physical mobility and digital connectivity. Together, mobiles and motorcycles are creating a platform for inclusive development. New India is working, learning, earning, and growing — all at once.
Deepening, widening access
As India accelerates towards becoming a $5 trillion economy, the next leap must focus on deepening and widening access to these two levers of empowerment. Several areas hold promise. The first wave of digital penetration was led by cheap smartphones and data. The next must focus on quality — better bandwidth, vernacular content, digital literacy, and women's access. A rural woman with a smartphone in her hand can unlock exponential social impact from maternal health to micro-enterprise.
The gig economy has largely been urban-centric. There is potential to expand it into tier-3 towns and beyond. With adequate skilling, local entrepreneurship incentives, and digital onboarding, India can create a decentralised workforce powering delivery, microservices, remote assistance, and more. Electric two-wheelers are the future. Policies must push for rural EV infrastructure, easy financing, and R&D incentives to make India the global hub for affordable, clean mobility, tailored for its youth.
With the success of platforms like UMANG, CoWIN, and Aadhaar-enabled direct benefit transfer, India must invest in 'mobile-first' governance. AI-powered public service apps in vernacular languages can revolutionise access to schemes, healthcare, legal aid, and skilling. Government schemes must be more responsive, tech-integrated, and supportive of the informal yet high-potential enterprises run by youth.
Key policy actions needed
To sustain this momentum and ensure that the transformation is inclusive and sustainable, key policy actions are needed. Just like electricity and roads, high-speed internet must be considered an essential infrastructure. A targeted rollout of rural fiber optic networks, 5G in educational and healthcare zones, and public wi-fi should be a priority.
Access to capital remains a major roadblock. Young entrepreneurs and gig workers need tailored financial products — credit based on digital work history, insurance for delivery agents, and micro-EMIs for electric two-wheelers. Skilling must move beyond traditional models. We need mobile-based, gamified learning apps, real-time marketplace-linked training, and nanodegrees that align with the gig economy. Local language content and AI-led personalisation will be crucial.
Women's mobility and digital inclusion should be prioritised. Special programmes to promote female smartphone ownership, digital literacy, and mobility through subsidised scooters or safe transport options can unlock transformative gains in women's employment and social empowerment.
Innovation shouldn't be limited to Bengaluru, Gurugram, or Hyderabad. Startup hubs should be promoted in tier-2 and tier-3 cities with tax breaks, incubation support, and integration into state-level procurement ecosystems. As reverse migration becomes more common, fuelled by remote work and better rural infrastructure, we need policies that build resilient small towns, smart village programmes, rural coworking hubs, and integrated transport and digital connectivity.
India is not waiting for change anymore; it's riding towards it. If we can sustain this momentum, ensure inclusion, and provide the right scaffolding through smart policies, India's development story won't just be about catching up with the world, it will be about setting new benchmarks.
Manmohan Parkash
(The writer is a former deputy director general, South Asia, with Asian Development Bank. Views expressed are personal.)
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No longer content with waiting for opportunity to knock, young Indians are finding ways to open doors themselves — armed with a mobile phone in hand and the freedom of two wheels under their feet. The mobile phone has become the single most powerful tool for empowerment. In 2015, India had around 20 crore smartphone users. Today, that number has surpassed 80 crore and is growing. Access to affordable 4G and the rollout of 5G are accelerating the digital revolution. This connectivity has democratised knowledge, fostered entrepreneurship, and expanded markets to the remotest corners. Meanwhile, two-wheelers are quietly powering rural and semi-urban mobility. For many young Indians, especially in hinterlands, motorcycles are more than just a mode of transport — they're a bridge to education, healthcare, jobs and enterprise. They enable delivery executives in small towns, sales agents in rural belts, healthcare workers in villages, and aspirants travelling daily for coaching classes and vocational training. The boom in two-wheeler ownership reflects rising incomes, expanding horizons, and the aspiration to be mobile, literally and figuratively. India's recent success lies in the synergy between physical mobility and digital connectivity. Together, mobiles and motorcycles are creating a platform for inclusive development. New India is working, learning, earning, and growing — all at once. Deepening, widening access As India accelerates towards becoming a $5 trillion economy, the next leap must focus on deepening and widening access to these two levers of empowerment. Several areas hold promise. The first wave of digital penetration was led by cheap smartphones and data. The next must focus on quality — better bandwidth, vernacular content, digital literacy, and women's access. A rural woman with a smartphone in her hand can unlock exponential social impact from maternal health to micro-enterprise. The gig economy has largely been urban-centric. There is potential to expand it into tier-3 towns and beyond. With adequate skilling, local entrepreneurship incentives, and digital onboarding, India can create a decentralised workforce powering delivery, microservices, remote assistance, and more. Electric two-wheelers are the future. Policies must push for rural EV infrastructure, easy financing, and R&D incentives to make India the global hub for affordable, clean mobility, tailored for its youth. With the success of platforms like UMANG, CoWIN, and Aadhaar-enabled direct benefit transfer, India must invest in 'mobile-first' governance. AI-powered public service apps in vernacular languages can revolutionise access to schemes, healthcare, legal aid, and skilling. Government schemes must be more responsive, tech-integrated, and supportive of the informal yet high-potential enterprises run by youth. Key policy actions needed To sustain this momentum and ensure that the transformation is inclusive and sustainable, key policy actions are needed. Just like electricity and roads, high-speed internet must be considered an essential infrastructure. A targeted rollout of rural fiber optic networks, 5G in educational and healthcare zones, and public wi-fi should be a priority. Access to capital remains a major roadblock. Young entrepreneurs and gig workers need tailored financial products — credit based on digital work history, insurance for delivery agents, and micro-EMIs for electric two-wheelers. Skilling must move beyond traditional models. We need mobile-based, gamified learning apps, real-time marketplace-linked training, and nanodegrees that align with the gig economy. Local language content and AI-led personalisation will be crucial. 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If we can sustain this momentum, ensure inclusion, and provide the right scaffolding through smart policies, India's development story won't just be about catching up with the world, it will be about setting new benchmarks. Manmohan Parkash (The writer is a former deputy director general, South Asia, with Asian Development Bank. Views expressed are personal.)
