Why More Experts Are Advising: Leave India for a Better Future

In recent years, a quiet but significant conversation has been echoing among India’s middle and upper-middle class: “If you have the ability, leave India.” Chartered accountants, seasoned businessmen, and long-settled NRIs are increasingly voicing this advice to professionals and entrepreneurs who still have the option to move abroad. Their reasoning is not driven by a lack of patriotism, but rather by a sobering analysis of systemic flaws in India’s governance, civic culture, and business environment.

This growing sentiment raises tough questions: What is India failing to provide to its own citizens? Why are capable individuals, who could otherwise contribute to national growth, choosing to build their lives elsewhere?

1. The Burden of Poor Civic Sense

One of the starkest contrasts Indians observe after traveling or settling abroad is the lack of civic discipline at home. From littering streets to disregarding traffic rules, the absence of accountability in public behavior makes Indian cities chaotic, unsafe, and unhygienic.

Despite campaigns like Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, the ground reality remains grim. Piles of garbage, inadequate waste management, rampant honking, and disregard for queues reflect a deeper cultural problem—an unwillingness to respect common spaces. This poor civic sense directly affects the quality of life, discouraging those who can afford a better environment from staying.

2. Continuous Religious and Social Conflicts

India’s diversity is its pride, but it has also become a fault line. Continuous religious clashes, caste-based violence, and politically motivated communal divides keep tensions simmering.

Instead of channeling diversity into collective progress, divisive politics and propaganda often fuel mistrust between communities. For professionals and investors seeking stability, the frequent flare-ups of unrest act as red flags. Safety, predictability, and social harmony are among the top priorities for those considering where to settle and raise families—and India’s record on this front is increasingly troubling.

3. The Nightmarish Ease of Doing Business

Despite government claims of reforms and global rankings improving on paper, entrepreneurs know the ground truth: starting and running a business in India remains a bureaucratic nightmare.

• Endless paperwork for registrations, licenses, and clearances.

• Bribery at almost every stage, from local inspectors to higher officials.

• Unpredictable tax raids and compliance burdens that discourage innovation.

• Delayed judicial processes where commercial disputes drag on for years.

Chartered accountants often warn their clients: while India has potential, the compliance fatigue and corruption make profitability uncertain. This is why many startups and family businesses prefer relocating to tax-friendly and regulation-light destinations such as Dubai, Singapore, or the U.S.

4. Broken Public Facilities

A country aspiring to be a global superpower still struggles with basics. Public transport in many cities is overcrowded and unsafe. Hospitals, though improving in private sectors, remain inaccessible or unaffordable for the average person. Clean drinking water, reliable electricity, and well-maintained roads are still not guaranteed across large swathes of the country.

Compare this with developed nations where taxes actually translate into functioning infrastructure—Indians abroad experience smoother daily living and question why the same cannot be replicated back home despite decades of economic growth.

5. High Taxes with Little Return

India’s tax system is another major complaint. Middle-class professionals face high income tax rates, while business owners contend with GST complexities and frequent scrutiny. Yet, the return on these taxes is minimal.

• Public healthcare is inadequate.

• Education quality remains inconsistent.

• Infrastructure is patchy.

• Pension and welfare safety nets are weak.

In contrast, countries like Canada, Australia, or Western European nations not only collect taxes but also ensure citizens enjoy universal healthcare, reliable public services, and a sense of security about the future.

6. The NRI Perspective: Why They Don’t Regret Leaving

Many NRIs who settled abroad decades ago reflect on their choice as one of the best decisions of their lives. They highlight:

• Rule of Law: Greater accountability and faster justice.

• Equality: Reduced interference of caste and community in professional life.

• Work Culture: Merit-based opportunities rather than connections or influence.

• Dignity of Labor: Every job, from janitor to CEO, is respected.

They often warn relatives in India: if you have the financial and educational capacity to migrate, do it sooner rather than later. The window of opportunity is shrinking as developed nations tighten immigration policies.

7. Why This Should Concern India

If the country’s best minds, entrepreneurs, and wealth creators continue to exit, India risks a brain drain 2.0. This outflow weakens innovation, reduces tax revenues, and sends a message that India cannot yet provide an ecosystem where talent thrives.

A nation cannot progress if its most capable citizens feel suffocated and look abroad for opportunities. Civic reforms, genuine ease of doing business, depoliticized governance, and investment in public facilities are not luxuries—they are necessities if India wants to retain its rising class of global citizens.

Conclusion

The advice of chartered accountants, businessmen, and NRIs to “leave India before it’s too late” may sound harsh, but it stems from lived realities. For many, the choice is between enduring systemic dysfunctions indefinitely or securing a more predictable, dignified future abroad.

Unless India addresses its chronic weaknesses—poor civic sense, communal divides, bureaucratic hurdles, inadequate public facilities, and taxation without adequate return—the exodus of talent and wealth will only accelerate.

The question remains: will India rise to the challenge, or will it watch another generation of its brightest quietly pack their bags?