The Indian economy continues to baffle and defy any facile analysis. On the one hand, we see a remarkable success story in India’s growth record and macroeconomic stability. On the other, there are fault lines in the reforms strategy that have resulted in growing inequalities, low levels of employment, and agrarian distress. This India Development Report (IDR) takes on the ambitious task of a critical assessment of two decades of structural reforms, with some prognostication about the face of the future. This volume, the sixth in the IDR series, examines: • Food security and agrarian crises • Poverty and inequality • Energy insecurity • Disasters and environmental challenges • Industrial performance and regional disparities in manufacturing growth • Role of auditors in governance • Performance of the telecommunications industry • Trade liberalization and India’s export sophistication • Capital inflows and policy choices • Outreach of banking services • Employment and industrial relations

The Indian economy is one of the fastest growing economies in the world. At the same time it is beset with a host of socio-economic problems. This report, by leading experts, provides a comprehensive review of the current state of the Indian economy. In the context of two decades of structural reforms, it analyses the problems and policy issues affecting India's growth and development. Sixth in the IDR series, this report examines diverse topics of contemporary relevance: Food security and agrarian crises; Poverty and inequality; Energy insecurity; Disasters and environmental challenges; Industrial performance and regional disparities in manufacturing growth; Role of auditors in governance; Performance of the telecommunications industry; Trade liberalization and India's export sophistication; Capital inflows and policy choices; Outreach of banking services; Employment and industrial relations. It includes a statistical appendix which is a valuable source of information on the macroeconomic trends.