After years of a weak investment cycle, a sharp pickup in infrastructure investments in India is imminent. While infrastructure creation is necessary, it needs to be sustainable as well, writes Abhinav Sharma, Fund Manager, Tata Asset Management.

Today, India stands at a pivotal juncture in its economic development journey. It is the fifth largest economy in the world and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has laid out his goal of India being a developed nation by 2047. A robust and sustainable infrastructure is a pre-condition for this growth.  Infrastructure plays a transformative role in economic development. A well-thought-out and implemented transport, energy and communication infrastructure among others, reduces costs, improves efficiency, enables global competitiveness and reduces inequality. Over the last five decades, there are numerous examples, especially in North and Southeast Asia, where we have seen how infrastructure investments have enabled countries to grow rapidly and significantly raise the standard of living of their population.