Dive deep into India’s informal economy with this insightful exploration of provincial capitalist development. Elisabetta Basile’s research reveals how post-Green Revolution growth, shaped by informal structures and class-caste dynamics, fosters a “low-road” path. Discover how firms prioritize price over efficiency, driving down labour costs, resulting in widespread low-skilled jobs, meagre wages, and poor working conditions. Based on original empirical research, this study offers a critical perspective on economic stratification and competition in rural and small-town India. Essential for academics and students in Development Studies, Political Economy, and South Asian Studies.