When India’s chief justice referred to unemployed youth in India as cockroaches earlier this year, that became the rallying cry for a new political movement called the Cockroach Janta Party. Before long, young Indians discontent with the country’s education system and its labor market were marching on parliament—and being met with harsh police crackdowns and internet shutdowns. Ultimately, the government backed down, resulting in the Indian education minister’s resignation. But the difficulties faced by India’s young people remain—as does the new movement claiming to represent their interests.
What exactly is going on with the Indian economy? Why is its education system struggling? And how will advances in artificial intelligence affect employment levels?
Those are just a few of the questions that came up in my recent conversation with FP economics columnist Adam Tooze on the podcast we co-host, Ones and Tooze. What follows is an excerpt, edited for length and clarity. For the full conversation, look for Ones and Tooze wherever you get your podcasts. And check out Adam’s Substack newsletter.
Cameron Abadi: Are India’s labor market problems directly related to Prime Minister [Narendra] Modi’s overall developmental-state economic strategy?
