But this would also mean that they will need to specialize more in service industries, rather than in manufacturing; the latter could be handicapped in global competitiveness because of excessive transport costs. Thus, it is certainly the case that much greater inter-urban infrastructure investment will be necessary to make these cities competitive.
It would appear that this has already begun in China in all the various facets of infrastructure: road, rail, airports and telecommunications. The Indian story is somewhat different with relatively low attention being paid to urban development over the years, and slowing urbanisation over the last quarter century.