India poised to overtake China's growth rate: Chidambaram

"While the last decade was remarkable and exciting, this decade will be more exciting for India. There is more possibility that India could overtake China's growth rates," he said at a Business Standard-organised function here last night. China, the world's sixth largest economy, has recorded an average nine per cent growth over the last two decades, while India has seen growth touch nine per cent only in the three years till 2007-08. But the global financial crisis ate into this progress and growth slipped to 6.7 per cent in 2008-09.

The Planning Commission, at its meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh earlier this month, scaled down India's growth target for the 11th five-year plan period (2007-12) to 8.1 per cent from the previously estimated nine per cent. "We are young and will continue to grow...corporate India will continue to grow in the current decade. The young CEOs and executives must help to take India to the next level," Chidambaram said.

The minister's confidence also stems from the fact that Foreign Direct Investment inflows -- key to growth -- have been increasing rapidly, although they slowed during 2008-09 at the height of the financial crisis. Chidambaram also said that India "will become a part of the United Nations Security Council in this decade" and added that there was a urgent need to make India a secure place so that the country's economic growth remained unblocked.

"There was a fear...but it is over. We are marching ahead to compete with others in every aspect," he said. "India will generate more talent in the current decade. We have understood that human resource is not a burden for India, rather they are counted as assets," he said.

On the country's security, Chidambaram said, "We must meet the challenge to fight against Maoists and terrorism in the next two-to-three-years." "We know it is a big challenge for India, but we will be able to meet the challenge in the next two-to-three years," he said.

Chidambaram said that India is facing another challenge -- that of preventing criminals making an entry into Parliament. "We are the largest and disciplined democracy in the world. We need honest and decent people to come to Parliament," he said.