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Is Bharat a “Sleeping Giant” that could get ‘Awakened’? Do our corporate boards have it?
Sep 8, 2025
On August 27, 2025, the 50% Trump Tariffs became effective.
"I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve". Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto says these words after their un-successful attack on Pearl Harbour, on December 7, 1941, in the film ‘Tora! Tora! Tora!’. Good scriptwriting, not factual record. But we can ask whether the words apply to Bharat’s businesspeople.
Bharat’s business community can choose one of two options. One, wring their hands. Two, grow their businesses in friendlier geographies, in innovative ways. The second can only happen with ‘terrible resolve’.
Do Bharat’s business people have what it takes?
Before entering World War II, the US clearly wanted to avoid entering a ‘European war’ where they were simply not involved. Pearl Harbour changed that. In 1940, US aircraft production was 6,086 aircraft. In 1944, at peak performance, they produced 96,318 aircraft – 16-times increase in 4 years. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt invited industry to make the US ‘the arsenal of democracy’. The Federal government provided funding to upgrade and add factories, and also placed orders. Business rose to the occasion. Collaboration was at a different level. McDonnell Douglas helped produce Boeing’s B-52 bombers. Companies like Ford even re-purposed car factories to manufacture planes. Also, women (unskilled labour) joined the work force as never before.
Can our businesspeople rise to the challenge Bharat faces today?
What will it take? Where are we today?
Set massive goals to be achieved in ridiculously short timelines. Execute as we have never, at international levels of quality, with manpower that is barely skilled. Starting with poor or small technology capabilities and infrastructure. With a government bureaucracy and rule book that is geared to discourage rather than empower.
Critical pre-requisites – keen, burning desire to shrug off lethargy, move swift and smart, go from trading to make and sell. Most importantly, good governance – private sector and governments at various levels. Company boards need to lead from in front.
What do we have going for us?
Exports to the US are only 2% of our total exports.300 companies are debt free with over Rs 50,000 crores cash which they can invest in value producing activities. We currently have a population youth advantage. One of the friendliest and yet most demanding geographies available to our businesses is Bharat’s own huge economy.
Examples abound of start-ups like GreyOrange, Ultrahuman, Peppermint Robotics, winning in global markets with their phenomenally innovative technology and delivery capabilities.Some large companies are making massive investments. In 2024, Tata Motors invested approx. Rs 30,000 crores in R&D. They will invest Rs 33,000 crores in their passenger vehicles business over 3 years. Suzuki Motors plans to invest Rs 70,000 crores in India operations over 6 years.Today’s government may be as obtuse as previous ones, but it at least says it’s willing to listen, change and move faster.
Can we beat the previous US record? The realistic answer is yes.
Will we? Time will tell.
Link for reference: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/bharat-sleeping-giant-could-get-awakened-do-our-corporate-modak-fczxf
On August 27, 2025, the 50% Trump Tariffs became effective.
"I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve". Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto says these words after their un-successful attack on Pearl Harbour, on December 7, 1941, in the film ‘Tora! Tora! Tora!’. Good scriptwriting, not factual record. But we can ask whether the words apply to Bharat’s businesspeople.
Bharat’s business community can choose one of two options. One, wring their hands. Two, grow their businesses in friendlier geographies, in innovative ways. The second can only happen with ‘terrible resolve’.
Do Bharat’s business people have what it takes?
Before entering World War II, the US clearly wanted to avoid entering a ‘European war’ where they were simply not involved. Pearl Harbour changed that. In 1940, US aircraft production was 6,086 aircraft. In 1944, at peak performance, they produced 96,318 aircraft – 16-times increase in 4 years. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt invited industry to make the US ‘the arsenal of democracy’. The Federal government provided funding to upgrade and add factories, and also placed orders. Business rose to the occasion. Collaboration was at a different level. McDonnell Douglas helped produce Boeing’s B-52 bombers. Companies like Ford even re-purposed car factories to manufacture planes. Also, women (unskilled labour) joined the work force as never before.
Can our businesspeople rise to the challenge Bharat faces today?
What will it take? Where are we today?
Set massive goals to be achieved in ridiculously short timelines. Execute as we have never, at international levels of quality, with manpower that is barely skilled. Starting with poor or small technology capabilities and infrastructure. With a government bureaucracy and rule book that is geared to discourage rather than empower.
Critical pre-requisites – keen, burning desire to shrug off lethargy, move swift and smart, go from trading to make and sell. Most importantly, good governance – private sector and governments at various levels. Company boards need to lead from in front.
What do we have going for us?
Exports to the US are only 2% of our total exports.300 companies are debt free with over Rs 50,000 crores cash which they can invest in value producing activities. We currently have a population youth advantage. One of the friendliest and yet most demanding geographies available to our businesses is Bharat’s own huge economy.
Examples abound of start-ups like GreyOrange, Ultrahuman, Peppermint Robotics, winning in global markets with their phenomenally innovative technology and delivery capabilities.Some large companies are making massive investments. In 2024, Tata Motors invested approx. Rs 30,000 crores in R&D. They will invest Rs 33,000 crores in their passenger vehicles business over 3 years. Suzuki Motors plans to invest Rs 70,000 crores in India operations over 6 years.Today’s government may be as obtuse as previous ones, but it at least says it’s willing to listen, change and move faster.
Can we beat the previous US record? The realistic answer is yes.
Will we? Time will tell.
Link for reference: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/bharat-sleeping-giant-could-get-awakened-do-our-corporate-modak-fczxf
On August 27, 2025, the 50% Trump Tariffs became effective.
"I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve". Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto says these words after their un-successful attack on Pearl Harbour, on December 7, 1941, in the film ‘Tora! Tora! Tora!’. Good scriptwriting, not factual record. But we can ask whether the words apply to Bharat’s businesspeople.
Bharat’s business community can choose one of two options. One, wring their hands. Two, grow their businesses in friendlier geographies, in innovative ways. The second can only happen with ‘terrible resolve’.
Do Bharat’s business people have what it takes?
Before entering World War II, the US clearly wanted to avoid entering a ‘European war’ where they were simply not involved. Pearl Harbour changed that. In 1940, US aircraft production was 6,086 aircraft. In 1944, at peak performance, they produced 96,318 aircraft – 16-times increase in 4 years. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt invited industry to make the US ‘the arsenal of democracy’. The Federal government provided funding to upgrade and add factories, and also placed orders. Business rose to the occasion. Collaboration was at a different level. McDonnell Douglas helped produce Boeing’s B-52 bombers. Companies like Ford even re-purposed car factories to manufacture planes. Also, women (unskilled labour) joined the work force as never before.
Can our businesspeople rise to the challenge Bharat faces today?
What will it take? Where are we today?
Set massive goals to be achieved in ridiculously short timelines. Execute as we have never, at international levels of quality, with manpower that is barely skilled. Starting with poor or small technology capabilities and infrastructure. With a government bureaucracy and rule book that is geared to discourage rather than empower.
Critical pre-requisites – keen, burning desire to shrug off lethargy, move swift and smart, go from trading to make and sell. Most importantly, good governance – private sector and governments at various levels. Company boards need to lead from in front.
What do we have going for us?
Exports to the US are only 2% of our total exports.300 companies are debt free with over Rs 50,000 crores cash which they can invest in value producing activities. We currently have a population youth advantage. One of the friendliest and yet most demanding geographies available to our businesses is Bharat’s own huge economy.
Examples abound of start-ups like GreyOrange, Ultrahuman, Peppermint Robotics, winning in global markets with their phenomenally innovative technology and delivery capabilities.Some large companies are making massive investments. In 2024, Tata Motors invested approx. Rs 30,000 crores in R&D. They will invest Rs 33,000 crores in their passenger vehicles business over 3 years. Suzuki Motors plans to invest Rs 70,000 crores in India operations over 6 years.Today’s government may be as obtuse as previous ones, but it at least says it’s willing to listen, change and move faster.
Can we beat the previous US record? The realistic answer is yes.
Will we? Time will tell.
Link for reference: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/bharat-sleeping-giant-could-get-awakened-do-our-corporate-modak-fczxf
Devdutta Modak
