Alliances appear to have lost meaning, and every country is increasingly forced to fend for itself, standing alone. According to the Economic Survey prepared by Chief Economic Adviser V. Anantha Nageswaran, growth remains robust and the outlook favourable. However, the Survey rightly makes the projected economic growth of 7.5 per cent conditional on India strengthening manufacturing, exports and process reforms. If Russia or China had depended on others for basic requirements, they could not have emerged as global powers. Hence, the Economic Survey underscores that India must run a marathon and sprint simultaneously — or run a marathon as if it were a sprint.