FORTUNE INDIA- THE NEXT 500 At the core of a nation’s economic strength are its small and emerging companies. For de-cades, Europe’s strongest economy Germany has shown to the world how healthy small and medium enterprises can be powerhouses of economic well-being. It’s been idolised not just in Europe, but also in India and across the globe. Over years, India’s own emerging companies landscape has gained from strength to strength. Now, lower corporate tax rate and the performance linked incentive schemes have brought a whole new vibrancy into this eco-system.  In this Special Issue, Fortune India’s Next 500 companies have got back into the black after struggling with profitability for three successive years. Our cover story this issue though is on global PE giant Blackstone’s adventures in India’s real estate and PE markets.