Branding India: Problems and Issues

Every nation has its own brand. India never tried to develop a unique brand of ourselves and was blunted by aping the west and its practices in frenzy. Our infrastructure is cracking and we do not have a sense of national identity. There is a dearth of trained human resources. We continue to divide the country by caste and creed, employ child labour and disempower women. The brand of India being a land of primitive snake charmers; poor infrastructure; corruption; poverty so strongly embedded that it is very difficult to project a positive image of brand India. Problem arises when some prominent subbrands like Bollywood, Indian cuisines, Kolhapuri Chappals, Kancheepuram saris, Goa, Taj, spirituality, Yoga, etc. overshadow the mother brand. Regional leaders of present India like Laloo Yadav, Chandra Babu, Naidu, Mayawati among others-most drawn from the lower castes, aggressively defend their own class and regional interests and do not have a coherent view of Indian identity. The demolition of Babri masjid, the attack on Parliament, Akshardham, Gujarat Riots, all have had an impact on Indian brand. All these factors contribute towards not building the desirable brand for India. India needs to market itself as the land of brainpower and opportunity, proven by the fruits of its heritage and technology.