Gig, or donkey.

At Independence in 1947, 80% of India's population "faced extreme poverty. This has dropped to 5%, thanks to many factors, ranging from the land reforms of the 1950s and the green revolution of the 60s to the big bank liberalisation of the 90s." However, inequality remains extreme. On the one hand, the top 10% of the population earns 57.7% of total income, while the bottom 50% earns just 15%. On the other hand, unemployment level is at 13% among graduates and 12.4% among postgraduates, but just 3.2% in the general population. Mint. In the absence of regular jobs, many young people take up gig work. "According to various news reports, there are approximately 12 million gig workers as of FY 2024-25, up from 7.7 million in 2020-21, now comprising 2% of the total workforce. This growth - at a compound annual rate of about 17%, and a 38% year-on-year surge in FY 2024-25 - has been fueled by digital connectivity, rapid urbanisation and a cultural shift towards more flexible work arrangements." Mint. However, a strike by gig workers drew attention to their work conditions. Delivery workers went on "A nationwide New Year's Eve strike to protest low pay and lack of social security benefits" and "Gig workers who power the app economy are protesting pressure from 10-minute delivery models which they say are leading to accidents, injuries and mental stress." TOI. Reacting to the complaints, "The Indian government has asked all quick-commerce platforms to drop the controversial '10-minute delivery' promise amid concerns over worker safety." BBC. However, "A recent study by Achyuta Adhvaryu and colleagues shows that compared to their Indonesian and Kenyan counterparts, gig workers in India (in 2024) were better off: working fewer hours, at higher efficiency levels for better pay," wrote Nitin Pai. Earning up to Rs 27,000 per month for working 58 hours a week is not bad for an entry level job and it also provides a cushion while looking for full-time employment. Jobs can only be created by investment. While foreign direct investment (FDI) surged to 4% of GDP in China and Vietnam during their boom phase, "That figure never surpassed 1.5% in India, and it is now just 0.1%, which is one-sixth of the emerging market average." Hence, "This decade, a net total of 6,75,000 people emigrated each year, up from 3,25,000 in the 2010s," wrote Ruchir Sharma. These are the legal migrants. The unqualified, dazzled by stories of an affluent lifestyle from relatives or friends, spend Rs 3-10 million to be smuggled into Western countries,  through 'donkey routes', losing their money if caught and deported back to India (BBC). Shamefully, "One Indian was caught at the US border every 20 minutes in 2025," as "US Customs and Border Protection reported 23,830 Indians were intercepted between January and December 2025. This was much lower than 85,119 in 2024, but the figure still placed India among the top source countries of illegal migrants." ET. Obviously, the number of the successful is unknown. While China recorded a trade surplus of nearly $1.2 in 2025 (Reuters), we are exporting people. Surplus to requirements. Of little value.