The emerging markets of China and India led to their inclusion in BRICS, which projects them as leaders by 2050 with distinct economic strategies marked by their strengths and challenges (Chen, 2023). China, known as the "world's factory," is ruled by a one-party communist system that takes pride in its immense growth over the past four decades, driven by state-led-intensive infrastructure investment and their ability to offer cheap labor; however, challenges such as the pandemic, issues with infrastructure quality, a tarnished global political image, a declining population, and the establishment of alternative manufacturing destinations like Vietnam and India have prompted a slowdown in its growth trajectory (Valuetainment, 2023; Deresky & Miller, 2022). Meanwhile, the world's largest democracy, India, shows strength in its abundant supply of service and skilled labor, research-and-development-induced innovation given its young and expanding population (28.7 years old median age) with an economic growth driven mainly by the private sector—but not without struggles like inadequate infrastructure, limited transportation networks, bureaucratic red tape, and low quality of life at 30%, all of which act as impediments to progress (Business Beyond, 2023). Considering all these factors, India has the potential to, at the very least, catch up with China's growth in the coming decade by ensuring it allocates enough resources to build infrastructure that can handle the global demand and harness its young population, particularly in the context of the "China plus one" strategy where multinational corporations seek alternative manufacturing countries (Ryan, 2023). India can accelerate its growth by streamlining its regulatory framework, expediting business processes, and continuously investing in its present strengths to establish the nation's footing further to position itself as a primary supplier of manufacturing and services, stimulating economic growth significantly—while China faces the ramifications of its one-child policy and diplomatic challenges, leading to the redirection of foreign direct investments (FDIs) away from its shores. While the two operate under different political and economic systems, they will surely live up to the projections as vital players in the global scene next decade, where the former's economic dominance will continue and the latter, driven by its demographic advantage, will increase competition and grow immensely. Sentence Count: 6 REFERENCES: Business Beyond. (2023b). Will India become an https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_SEBHQTGJw&t=62s. economic superpower? YouTube. Retrieved from Chen, J. (2023, August). BRICS: Acronym for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. Investopedia. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/brics.asp#:~:text=BRICS%20was%20created%20by%20Goldman,economic%20ti es%20with%20each%20other Deresky, H., & Miller, S. (2022). Chapter 1: Evaluating the Global Business Environment. In International Management: Managing across borders and cultures, text and cases, Global Edition (10th ed., pp. 34–36). essay, Pearson Education Limited. Valuetainment. (2023a). INDIA TAKEOVER: Why China Fears India Being The Next Superpower. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJuVPzbfjh0.
