India can be no. 1 in noise-cancel tech

India's economy is booming. As is the collective decibel level of its streets and people. Being raucous, though, doesn't seem to strike anyone as being a problem. In fact, it gets bunged in with the other over-romanticised notions of 'beautiful chaos' and 'We're like this only'. But within this deluge of noise and absence of silence lies an untapped economic goldmine: the global noise-cancellation technology market.

India Inc specialises in nicking innovations, rewiring them for local conditions and applauding themselves - loudly - for 'innovating'. Active noise cancellation (ANC) technology is there for the nicking. By first highlighting how horribly loud we are, Indian companies can flood the world with ANC headphones and earplugs. The global demand for peace and quiet has never been higher. And here's an industry that can actually be export-facing, before the local oiks take to it as the next big phoren trend. Noise-cancelling solutions can be sold in Western high streets with the tagline, 'Engineered in India. Tested on Indian Streets.' The sheer credibility of surviving this soundscape is unbeatable. With the right marketing, Indian ANC products can even be sold to Beethovens hiking along a silent Alpine path. Noise may be a constant in our lives, but it can jolly well be the source of our next trillion-dollar income spree.