Industry heads in the automobile sector sense that up to 1 million jobs could be lost. This is despite the fact commercial vehicle buyers could buy more vehicles now before the stricter anti-pollution norms kick in next year (vehicles will then be costlier).

More scary than the challenges faced by big industry are the ones that will sweep the lighter mfg sector. Robotics-driven production in rich countries will have huge effects on developing nations which have millions of wage-arbitrage jobs making products for exports.

Strategic adjustment to global competitive changes is difficult in India, because we don't have a strategy-led policy environment for economic action. Instead, political leadership of the economy has been the norm, and this is usually more reactive than proactive.