With a new government in Delhi, India’s urban agenda is now focused on the creation of “Smart Cities” in industrial corridors.  Such an initiative is driven by the demand of foreign investors to find sanitized spaces in developing countries in which they can operate easily – unhampered by politics. 

Instead of viewing India’s role in global human rights from a foreign policy perspective, it is also important to examine whether India offers any lessons on human rights for other states by providing an alternative to the dominant discourse on rights. A contribution to the openGlobalRights debates on Emerging Powers and Human Rights and Economic and Social Rights.