India’s $30 Trillion Dream Hinges on 15 Cities—but Is the East Being Left Behind?

Fifteen cities could supercharge India’s future—but only one from the east made the list. Will this lopsided strategy deepen divides instead of bridging them?

, and Administrator

2025 December 4 . 3:46 AM

1 min read

It is the beautiful view of the city. At the top there is the sky. There are so many houses and... — It is the beautiful view of the city. At the top there is the sky. There are so many houses and buildings one beside the other. At the bottom there are plants and sand.

India’s $30 Trillion Dream Hinges on 15 Cities—but Is the East Being Left Behind?

India’s push to become a $30 trillion economy by 2047 heavily relies on 15 major cities, according to Amitabh Kant, former CEO of Niti Aayog. These urban centres already contribute 30% of the country’s GDP and could lift annual growth by 1.5%. Yet concerns have been raised about the stark imbalance between eastern and western regions in this economic vision.

Kant’s list of key cities includes Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad, alongside Ahmedabad, Pune, Surat, Coimbatore, Noida/Greater Noida, Kochi, Gurugram, Vishakhapatnam, Nagpur—and Kolkata as the sole representative from eastern India. Economist Sanjeev Sanyal pointed out this imbalance, noting that only one underperforming city from the east made the cut.

The 15 cities identified by Kant play a central role in India’s economic future. However, the lack of eastern representation—beyond Kolkata—raises questions about regional equity. Without targeted efforts to revitalise struggling urban centres, the country’s growth may remain uneven.