The coming decades will see India’s emergence as a strong, prosperous and influential country, and its arrival as a pivotal leader of the world. Everything points to such a future - India’s high economic growth, its technological transformation, its strategic geopolitical importance, and its growing hard and soft power. India has the world’s largest labour and consumer base and it is the most promising destination for the global capital, commerce and industry in a reordered world. However, India has a lot of work to do to fulfil its enormous and obvious potential. In a volatile and uncertain world, there are no guarantees and a country must continuously invest in building productive capacity and creative capabilities while also offering tranquillity, stability and predictability. Some growth may be assured in the process of catching up, but to manage sustained high growth, India must transform itself into a more open, dynamic, inclusive and inventive society and economy. It must create the necessary conditions for more of its people to flourish, for its geography to ensure more economic and security influence, and for its international relationships to result in greater access to intellectual and financial resources. India must also show leadership in the world’s transformation towards green technologies and sustainable economic behaviours, conflict-reducing international policies and formations, and inclusive and ethical governance. For the next hundred years to be India’s century, Indians need to focus on the big picture more and build the competence and capacity to not just catch up with the best but to become the best in the world.