India’s path toward a justice system that prioritizes service to its people may prove difficult unless the nation addresses and sheds its colonial legacies of repression and control. The demand for more inclusive, intersectional, and unified regulatory approaches and regulatory reform across all sectors is long overdue. As India’s democracy matures, her political leaders must address increasingly grave threats to that democracy’s integrity and flourishing.
In her recent book titled India Inked: Elections in the World’s Largest Democracy, author Poonam Agarwal provides an extensive overview of the electoral landscape in India. The book explores the intricate details of electoral bonds, highlighting the complexities and potential pitfalls of this “sleight-of-hand” practice. Agarwal’s work highlights the need for clear and more transparent electoral processes, a key tenet of a healthy democracy.
Urban infrastructure is a second, key area where regulatory reforms are desperately needed. India is preparing itself for the introduction of cutting-edge technologies, such as electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) vehicles. To be successful, our country needs to take a multidisciplinary approach, incorporating smart urban planning, energy management, vertiport construction, and regulatory expertise. Even as they prepare, no eVTOL manufacturer has received a full operational license—holding back the promise of this exciting sector.
The current state of press freedom in India is dire. Competing legislative interests from media owners are profoundly and dangerously undermining it. This new reality only makes it harder for the public to access independent, fact-based coverage that is critical to any healthy democracy. The justice delivery system in India is quite grim for most citizens, reiterating the state of inadequate and paternalistic justice and reminding that more responsive governance is necessary.
Middle India, which is home to a significant portion of entrepreneurship and employment opportunities, requires better treatment from the government. This wellspring of management talent and innovation is being choked by declining support and resources for this critical segment of society. To address these issues effectively, three fundamental principles must guide India’s regulatory reform: foundational thinking, identifying a clear set of functions, and establishing checks and balances.
Independent directors, boards of directors, external auditors, and corporate auditors would all help provide some level of startup accountability. We need them to take proactive action when, as they so rightly do, they find bad actors in our ecosystem. This lack of oversight is all the more significant given that India’s regulatory environment is still emerging and maturing.