New frontier for Modi’s $5 trillion dream: How UN’s noble development goals may help India get closer

Massive investments required into meeting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals may not just earn India praise for inclusive growth, but may also help bring the nation a step closer towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s $5-trillion economy goal. Investments to be made towards development in sustainable ways as laid out by the United Nations will provide a great many opportunities to the private sector, eventually likely feeding into economic growth. India needs $2.64 trillion in investments by 2030 to meet its SDGs, said Standard Chartered in its SDG Investment Map. This offers the private sector an opportunity of $1.12 trillion.

Private players can focus on contributing three infrastructure-focused goals, which include clean water and sanitation, affordable clean energy, and industrial innovation along with infrastructure. “Opportunity 2030 provides an important map of the SDG opportunities for private sector investors looking to invest with impact and improve the lives of millions of Indians over the next decade,” Bharat Padmanabhan, MD, Regional Head – Corporate Institutional Banking, ASEAN & South Asia, Standard Chartered said. According to Standard Chartered, the opportunity for the private sector is around $10 trillion across the world.