The  lessons  learnt  from the global economic challenges faced by the developed economies and the resilient nature of  the developing Indian economy show that India has the potential to be a leader  in the emerging new world economic order. However, we need to optimally leverage our resources and build on our inherent strengths to achieve this goal.
 
Northern region  is a vast expanse comprising of the UT of Chandigarh and states of Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. 
 
The region plays a crucial role in the polity and economy of India. It is the seat of Indian government and judiciary. It contributes 25.4% to the national GDP. Being a strong agrarian economy, it accounts for 31.2% of the national agricultural GDP. 30.5% of the country’s population resides in the north and two of the largest states in the region – Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh – alone account for 22.2% of the national population. 
 
Hence,  India’s dream of achieving double digit growth and the dream of inclusive growth cannot be achieved without the north achieving its full potential. 
 
This paper sets the context for discussion on North India: Leveraging Opportunities for Accelerated Growth.