The illusion of the American Dream, once sustained by the Indian IT industry, has been shattered. The US administration’s crackdown on the H-1B visa, the sudden, high-cost barriers to entry, and the fundamental shift toward prioritising its own workforce are not merely isolated policy decisions; they are a necessary, painful shock forcing thousands of our most skilled professionals back to Indian shores.
This dramatic global realignment—coupled with the accelerating rise of artificial intelligence and data science, which renders the old coding-centric, low-cost IT model obsolete—presents a singular, profound opportunity for India. The capital and world-class experience, previously exploited by the outsourcing model, must now be integrated into our national growth story.
The question is, where will this wave of returning global talent and capital land?
It is time to look beyond the established metros and turn our gaze toward a region that was once the undisputed seat of power, valour, knowledge, and wisdom: Bihar.
The Bihar Opportunity: Talent Ready To Return
The people of Bihar have long been celebrated across the country for their formidable intellect and tenacity. They are a community that is not only physically hardworking but also among the most honest and academically strong. Their children dominate entrance examinations nationwide, a testament to an innate, centuries-old emphasis on education.
This land declined not because of its people, but only because of decades of corrupt, shortsighted leadership that failed to nurture its potential. The citizens were let down by a system that prioritised patronage over infrastructure, driving its most ambitious talent out—first to other Indian cities, then overseas.
Now, as the US economy closes its doors and the urgency of the impending 25% Remittance Tax forces NRIs and OCIs to repatriate their hard-earned wealth, the confluence of capital, talent, and national necessity has arrived.
The skilled professionals returning from the US are not novices; they are directors, architects, and experts in New Product Development, Research and Development, and complex system integrations. They are the human resources needed to staff the high-level Global Capability Centres (GCCs) currently being established in India.
The 2025 Mandate: Reclaiming Lost Glory
This national moment is precisely why the Bihar Assembly Election of 2025 is not merely a regional political event, but a matter of national destiny.
For Bihar to seize this unprecedented opportunity, it must elect a leadership with a mandate to execute a radical economic vision. That mandate must be to provide a welcoming, secure, and technologically advanced ecosystem for its returning sons and daughters.
The new administration must commit to a two-pronged strategy:
Investment in Core Excellence: Instead of chasing the sunset of the traditional IT service model, the state must pivot immediately to the rising sun of AI-driven data science, quantum computing, and advanced core engineering (civil, mechanical, electrical). Universities must be remodelled into centres of deep tech innovation, providing a talent pool superior to the US workforce.
Infrastructure for Capital Deployment: The political leadership must ruthlessly eliminate the bureaucratic inertia and corruption that drove talent away in the first place. The focus must shift to securing investments in the core assets that retain long-term value: land with clear titles, real estate development, and state-of-the-art logistics to support industries serving rural and semi-urban India.
The Call To ‘Make in Bihar’
The message to every Indian residing abroad—especially those with roots in Bihar—must be unequivocal: The time to come home is now.
The fading allure of the dollar is a blessing in disguise, a clarion call for nation-building. The global landscape has given you a chance to invest your expertise, your capital, and your global vision not just into a country, but into the very heartland of civilisation.
Your ancestors built empires and universities like Nalanda that were the envy of the world. Now, it is your turn. Do not be content to be a temporary resource in someone else's nation. Return to "Make in Bihar," contributing to a state where your children can grow up to be founders and innovators, rising as high as their ancestors once did.
The political will of 2025 must meet the returning tide of talent. Only then will Bihar reclaim its lost glory and truly become the engine driving India’s destiny as the undisputed global leader of the 21st century.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publication. |
