January 09, 2026
In his Hindustan Times column, One Health Trust’s Dr. Ramanan Laxminarayan reflects on what India can learn from Singapore’s development journey. When Singapore became independent, its income per person was only a few times higher than India’s; today, it is more than 30 times greater. This dramatic gap cannot be explained by size or circumstance alone.
Singapore’s leaders focused on preventing early disadvantages from becoming lifelong barriers. Long-term investments in education, public health, and integrated housing helped create real opportunities for upward mobility across communities. Rather than relying only on markets or attempting to eliminate inequality by decree, the state built institutions that people trusted, contributing to low corruption and sustained growth. While income differences remain, all major groups benefited from rising living standards.
Dr. Laxminarayan stresses that Singapore’s model cannot be copied directly, especially in a large and diverse country. But its experience offers a clear lesson – lasting development depends on strong social foundations, not infrastructure and economic growth alone. “Its circumstances were particular; its methods were sometimes severe, and its scale was unique. But it does offer a reminder that development is not built on infrastructure and growth alone. If Viksit Bharat (the goal to transform India into a developed nation) is to be more than a slogan, economic ambition must be matched by social architecture.”
Read here.
