Why China Grew Fast Despite High Population – And Why India Still Struggles

China and India are the two most populated countries in the world. Together, they have more than 36% of the world’s people. In the 1950s and 60s, both countries were poor, struggling with unemployment, and dependent on farming. But today, China has become the second-largest economy in the world, while India is still fighting problems like slow job growth, corruption, and poor infrastructure.

Why did China’s big population become a strength, but India’s big population feels like a challenge, Let’s understand.

1. How China Turned Its Population into Power

a) Smart Economic Reforms In 1978, leader Deng Xiaoping started changing China’s economy. The government opened doors for foreign companies and set up Special Economic Zones (SEZs) to attract investors.

b) Manufacturing Hub of the World China used its huge workforce to become the “Factory of the World”. They made clothes, electronics, toys, and almost everything at low cost – and exported them everywhere.

c) Strong and Fast Decision-Making China’s government takes quick decisions because there’s no long political debate. Plans are made for the long term, and big projects get done fast.

d) Building Infrastructure Before It’s Needed China invested in roads, ports, trains, and electricity even before the demand came. This made it easier for industries to grow.

e) Factories Everywhere If you pick up your phone, your shirt, or even a small toy in your house, there’s a high chance it says “Made in China”. This didn’t happen by accident — China trained its people, built factories, and exported goods worldwide.

f) Infrastructure First, Demand Later They didn’t wait for traffic jams to make highways — they made highways before the traffic came. That’s why businesses find it easy to set up there.

2. Why India Couldn’t Grow Like China

a) Slow Politics and Corruption India is a democracy, which is good for freedom, but sometimes too much politics slows decisions. Add corruption and long approval processes, and projects take years to finish.

b) Youth Distracted by Social Issues Instead of focusing only on skills and jobs, many young people get involved in religious, caste, or political fights, which hurts productivity.

c) Weak Manufacturing Sector India focused more on IT and service jobs, which don’t employ large numbers of unskilled workers. This left many young people without jobs.

d) Poor Infrastructure in Many Areas In many parts of India, roads are bad, electricity is unreliable, and internet speed is slow. This makes it hard for factories to operate outside big cities.

e) Social & Religious Distractions India’s youth, instead of focusing entirely on skill-building, often get diverted into religious, caste, and political conflicts – hurting national productivity.

f) Youth Energy Wasted on Wrong Fights Instead of only focusing on skills, jobs, and business, some of our youth get caught in religious debates, caste fights, and political dramas.

g) Jobs for a Few, Not for All India grew in IT and services, which are great but don’t create millions of jobs for unskilled workers like factories do.

h) Broken Roads, Slow Internet In small towns and villages, bad infrastructure stops industries from growing. If a factory doesn’t have electricity for hours, why would investors come?

 3. Population: Blessing or Burden?

• China: Trained and employed its people to work in factories and industries.
• India: Has millions of young people, but not enough jobs or skills for them.

It’s not just about how many people you have – it’s about how you use their skills.

Conclusion 

China and India both have huge populations, but China used it as a strength, while India is still figuring out how to turn it into an advantage. For India to truly grow, it needs fewer political games, better infrastructure, more jobs, and a united focus on development. A big population can be a golden opportunity – but only if it’s guided in the right direction.

What India Can Learn from China

1. Invest More in Factories and Infrastructure
2. Reduce Bureaucracy and Corruption
3. Focus on Skill Training for All
4. Keep Religion and Politics Separate from Development
5. Make Long-Term Economic Plans