Urbanisation as a Development Policy: India, China, and the World

Compared to China, India is a predominantly rural society. Urbanisation in India has been slow, and characterized by a rural push and a concentration of population and activities primarily in large cities. On the other hand, China’s urbanisation has been much more uniform across smaller and larger cities. This session presents the experience and consequences of rapid urbanisation in China. It uses the China example to highlight the relationship between urbanisation, investment, labour, production and consumption. It underscores the role of infrastructure development in planned urbanisation. Recognising the differences in the political systems and decision making processes of India and China, the session draws on the experiences of both nations to present a vision for India's urban future.

Confirmed Speakers

• Raj Liberhan, Director, India Habitat Centre
• Andrew Tan, CEO, National Environment Agency & Director, Centre for Liveable Cities, Singapore
• Philipp Rode, Executive Director, Urban Age, London School of Economics & Political Science
• Somik Lall, Senior Economist, World Bank
• Yuwa Hedrick-Wong, Economic Advisor, MasterCard, ICICI & Southern Capital
• Patricia Clarke Annez, Research Director, Making Cities Work for Growth Project, The Brookings Institution