Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran emphasized that India must generate eight million jobs annually in the coming decade to achieve its developed nation status by 2047. Speaking at the Columbia India Summit 2025, he highlighted unique challenges including AI and automation adoption while balancing labor-centric policies. Nageswaran stressed that strengthening manufacturing, developing a robust SME sector, and integrating into global value chains are crucial for the 'Viksit Bharat' vision. He warned that unlike the early 2000s, India cannot rely solely on exports for growth due to changing global economic conditions.