The rapid transformation visible along the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway as it cuts through Rajasthan is more than a change in landscape. It reflects a deeper shift in how India’s development story is being reimagined — with states acting as primary growth engines and technology as the central lever. Rajasthan’s long-term roadmap, aligned with the national vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047, offers a window into how economic scale, sustainability, and governance are being woven together.
Why Rajasthan’s transformation matters
Rajasthan occupies a unique position in India’s federal growth architecture. With its vast landmass, strategic location, and renewable energy potential, the state is increasingly seen as a testing ground for a technology-led development model championed by Prime Minister . The idea is straightforward but ambitious: if states modernise their economic structures using data, digital tools, and clean energy, national growth will follow organically.
The Viksit Rajasthan @2047 roadmap
The state’s vision document rests on four broad coordinates — technology adoption, smart governance, data-driven decision-making, and renewable energy expansion. Together, these aim to trigger a process akin to Joseph Schumpeter’s idea of “creative destruction”, where old production methods give way to new, more efficient systems. The emphasis is not merely on incremental reform, but on restructuring how industries, infrastructure, and public services function.
Factories of the future and AI-driven manufacturing
A central pillar of the roadmap is to position Rajasthan as a global destination for AI-optimised manufacturing and Industry 4.0 practices. The focus extends across:
- Modernising traditional sectors such as textiles, handicrafts, and marble processing through automation and data analytics.
- Scaling advanced industries including automotive components, electronics, and pharmaceuticals.
This approach aligns closely with national manufacturing priorities under Make in India, while also aiming to create cleaner, more transparent, and citizen-centric industrial ecosystems.
Renewable energy as an economic multiplier
Rajasthan’s ambition to become the world’s renewable energy capital is grounded in its natural advantages — over 300 sunny days annually, high solar radiation levels, and vast sparsely populated regions in the west. The state has set phased capacity targets:
- 125 GW by 2030
- 225 GW by 2040
- 290 GW by 2047
These targets are not just about energy security. Policymakers project strong multiplier effects on employment, infrastructure investment, and state revenues, with the long-term aim of propelling Rajasthan into the top three state economies by 2047.
Storage, hybrids, and the green hydrogen push
Recognising the intermittency challenge of renewables, Rajasthan’s strategy integrates solar-wind hybrid projects with large-scale battery storage, including lithium-ion and flow batteries, to stabilise the grid. Alongside this, green hydrogen has emerged as a strategic frontier. Under the Integrated Clean Energy Policy 2024, the state targets 2,000 kilo tonnes per annum of green hydrogen by 2030, supported by transmission waivers and dedicated renewable capacity allocations. This positions Rajasthan within India’s broader clean energy transition while opening export-oriented industrial opportunities.
Global Capability Centres and the knowledge economy
Beyond manufacturing and energy, Rajasthan is seeking to anchor itself in the global services economy through Global Capability Centres (GCCs). The GCC Policy 2025 aims to attract over 200 centres by 2030, generating employment for around 1.5 lakh professionals. Cities such as Jaipur, Udaipur, and Jodhpur are being developed as hubs, supported by incentives, infrastructure provisioning, and single-window clearances. This marks a shift towards knowledge-driven growth, complementing the state’s physical infrastructure push.
What to note for Prelims?
- Targets under Viksit Rajasthan @2047 for renewable energy and storage capacity.
- Integrated Clean Energy Policy 2024 and green hydrogen incentives.
- Global Capability Centre Policy 2025 and employment projections.
What to note for Mains?
- Role of states as growth engines in India’s federal structure.
- Industry 4.0 and AI in transforming traditional manufacturing sectors.
- Renewable energy as a tool for sustainable development and economic diversification.
- Challenges of grid stability, skill development, and regional balance.
Rajasthan’s long-term vision suggests that development is no longer seen as a series of isolated projects, but as an integrated process linking governance, economy, society, and environment — resilient yet adaptive, much like the desert state itself.
