Pune: Observing that economic development of a country ispowered by knowledge-based capabilities, President A P J Abdul Kalam today(Jan17, 007) emphasised the need to improve India's competitiveness and put itin the top ten among the comity of nations.

"The Global Competitiveness Report for 2005-06 ranks Switzerland at the number one spot.Singapore is fifth, the US sixth, South Korea24, UAE 32, India 43 and China is54. India'sgrowth in competitiveness is yet to pick up. It should improve from 43 to atleast 10 in a decade," he said.

Kalam was speaking after inaugurating an internatinal symposium on automativetechnology. The seminar was organised by the Society of Automotive Engineers inIndiaat the Automotive Research Association of India's campus here.

Besides knowledge, other important factors that shape competitiveness aretechnology, innovation, resource investment, customer loyalty, quality andvalue of products, employee productivity, working environment and a creativeleadership, said Kalam, who has co-authored a book on how to make Indiaa developed country by 2020.

"Creative leadership means exercising the vision to change the traditionalrole from the commander to the coach, manager to mentor, from director todelegator and from one who demands respect to one who facilitatesself-respect," he said.

"With several international companies enteringautomobile production in India,competitiveness has increased in production and marketing," Kalam noted.