There will never be any strong economic base in India due to it's cultural differences among the states and people.
If one state in India is well developed, it will try to dominate the other states and this will lead to civil war. And this is why past 75 years and on, India is yet to decide which economic path it has to take.
Already there was a report that due to such difference and some sabotage from abroad on the lines of caste, region, class, religion and language the total GDP growth rate of India has been reduced multi-fold times.
Most of the development in India is superficial and whatever development happens, let's stay in city infrastructure is directly copied from west without having an iota of thought on their own requirements and needs.
And all of India's neighbors understand it.