On Independence Day, NDTV speaks to Sanjeev Sanyal, Member of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council, on India’s journey from 1947 to its emergence as a rising global power. Sanyal says India’s Gen Z ambitions, the push to shed the colonial mindset and the country’s economic future are deeply connected. He highlights geopolitical uncertainty, AI-driven disruption, demographic opportunities and the need for India to build flexibility and resilience rather than rely on rigid long-term plans.