"India must leverage this technology to become a developed country by 2047. If not, we risk growing old without ever having grown rich," says Secretary S. Krishnan, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology for the Government of India.

With 1.4 billion people, India has a narrow window to reach developed-country status by 2047. Leaders stress that AI, frugal innovation, and low-cost solutions could unlock that opportunity—and offer lessons for the wider Global South.

Watch more Global Stage coverage from the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly here: gzeromedia.com/globalstage