Over the past four years of historic economic growth, leaders in India have come to realize that to emerge as a global economic superpower, the country must invest in its social fabric—in particular, education and health care. These investments are all the more necessary, as India is expected to become the world’s most populous country by 2035. It is already the youngest: home to 20 percent of the world’s people under 24 years of age. Without a doubt, this realization is a big step forward, but it isn’t enough.

India should also develop innovative approaches that will enable its leaders in all corners of society—business, government, and civil society—to help build an educated workforce and a healthy country. Having spent much of my life in a dialogue among business, government, and civil society, I truly believe that when they work in partnership, intractable issues are addressed more successfully, to the benefit of all. The Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), which I helped set up, illustrates the effectiveness of this collaborative approach.

India is well positioned to tackle its health care challenges for two fundamental reasons. First, it has the privilege of learning from and avoiding the costly errors of...