India's West Obsession in Costing Us | Future IQ

We often assume that if something works in the West, it must work in India too. From clothing and office design to education, housing, and public policy, many ideas are copied without considering the differences in climate, culture, population density, infrastructure, and social norms. A suit and tie may make sense in a cold country, but in a tropical climate it can be uncomfortable and impractical. The same pattern appears in many larger systems that affect millions of people.Some of India's biggest challenges come not from bad intentions, but from applying solutions designed for very different societies. Policies around housing, maternity leave, education, and sanitation often assume institutions, resources, and cultural behaviors that do not yet exist at the same scale in India. When the foundations are missing, even well-meaning reforms can produce results that are very different from what was originally intended.Progress does not come from rejecting everything foreign or blind...