A 5.4% GDP growth rate is not really a shocker.
A better question to ask is: why we deserve a 7-8% growth rate?
(1) We can't sort basic tourism. If you go to a beach in India, dogs can bite you (not kidding)
(2) We are not even playing the basic AI/ML race. We are waiting for other countries to innovate on this
(3) Cryptos are termed toxic in India. We have already given the impression that we have banned (but in reality we haven't banned)
(4) Our basic Railways/Transport does not function well People celebrate building X Kms of highways on public money. No one questions: why such poor quality?
(5) 80% celebrate freebies, demand reservations, stifling the existing taxpayers. Handful of people who are able to escape (and who escape) get bashed.
(6) Taxation (de-facto) is at a recent all time high. We are paying through the nose for freebie programs, statue building, new parliament building. At a time, when even IIT grads are not getting decent jobs in India.
We celebrate mediocracy.
Results catch up.
What's crazy is: we demand better quality infrastructure , medical treatment, policing etc. BUT...
But, don't want to put best people who will provide us those services.
We recruit sub-par people via reservation. And "hope" they will give us quality.
World doesn't work that way.
And, that is the reason why:
Politicians who make these policies do not:
1) Avail medical treatment in India
2) Their kids go abroad and study
3) Some even change citizenships
But, the general junta is fed horrid quality in the name of social equality. And are left to deal with everyday issues.
And, they keep debating the idea of social justice. And, how 1000 year of injustice can be abridged in 2024.