Globalisation—accelerating since India's 1991 reforms and the digital revolution—has profoundly reshaped the aspirations, identities and life-chances of Indian youth, who constitute over 50% of the population under 25.

Social Impact:

• Positive: Exposure to global values of individualism, gender equality, human rights; rise of nuclear families, delayed marriages, changing gender roles.
• Negative: Erosion of joint-family support, rising mental-health issues (NIMHANS data), body-image anxieties, loneliness and screen addiction.
• Cultural hybridity: Fusion of local and global—street food alongside cafés, regional cinema alongside Netflix.

Political Impact:

• Positive: Greater awareness of rights, participation in movements (anti-corruption, climate, gender), use of social media for civic engagement.
• Negative: Rise of polarisation, misinformation, radicalisation via digital platforms; "cancel culture" and shrinking spaces for dialogue.
• Youth-led global solidarities (Fridays for Future, LGBTQ+ pride).

Economic Impact:

• Positive:
  • Emergence of India as a services and startup hub—third-largest startup ecosystem globally.
  • New avenues in IT, fintech, e-commerce, gig platforms; digital entrepreneurship.
  • Global mobility—students, professionals, remittances (India received $125 billion in 2023, World Bank).
• Negative:
  • Jobless growth, gig-economy precarity, lack of social security.
  • Rural-urban divide; automation and AI threatening entry-level jobs.
  • Widening inequality; consumerism-driven debt.

Cultural Impact:

• Positive: Global recognition of Indian culture—yoga, cuisine, cinema (RRR, Naatu Naatu Oscar), music (AR Rahman, Diljit Dosanjh globally).
• Negative: Language erosion, decline in vernacular literature, homogenisation of youth culture, loss of local traditions and crafts.
• Fusion movements: Indie music, digital art, regional OTT content thriving.

Assessment:

Globalisation has been a double-edged sword: it has expanded opportunities and horizons but also generated insecurity, cultural anxieties and inequality. The challenge is to harness its opportunities while protecting cultural rootedness, mental well-being, decent work and equitable access.

Conclusion:

India's youth must be equipped through quality education, skilling, digital literacy and cultural confidence to become global citizens with Indian roots, ensuring globalisation serves as a ladder of empowerment rather than an escalator of alienation.