The world's largest
democracy and second most populous country emerged as a major power in the 1990s. It is militarily strong, has major cultural
influence and a fast-growing and powerful economy.
democracy and second most populous country emerged as a major power in the 1990s. It is militarily strong, has major cultural
influence and a fast-growing and powerful economy.
A nuclear-armed state, it carried out tests in the 1970s and again in the 1990s in defiance of world opinion. However, India
is still tackling huge social, economic and environmental problems.
is still tackling huge social, economic and environmental problems.
OVERVIEW
- Overview
- Facts
- Leaders
- Media
The vast and diverse Indian sub-continent - from the mountainous Afghan frontier to the jungles of Burma - was under foreign
rule from the early 1800s until the demise of the British Raj in 1947.
rule from the early 1800s until the demise of the British Raj in 1947.
The subsequent partition of the sub-continent - into present-day India and Pakistan - sowed the seeds for future conflict.
There have been three wars between India and its arch-rival Pakistan since 1947, two of them over the disputed territory of
Kashmir.
There have been three wars between India and its arch-rival Pakistan since 1947, two of them over the disputed territory of
Kashmir.
A peace process, which started in 2004, stayed on track despite tension over Kashmir and several high-profile bombings until
the Mumbai attacks of November 2008, which police blamed on Pakistani militants. India announced that the process was on
pause the following month.
the Mumbai attacks of November 2008, which police blamed on Pakistani militants. India announced that the process was on
pause the following month.
AT-A-GLANCE Economy: Fast-growing economy; large, skilled workforce but widespread poverty Politics: 344m people voted in 2009 election - Congress-led alliance of PM Manmohan Singh won second mandate International: Ongoing dispute with Pakistan over Kashmir region; nuclear weapons state; world's most prolific film industry - Bollywood |
With its many languages, cultures and religions, India is highly diverse. This is also reflected in its federal political
system, whereby power is shared between the central government and 28 states.
system, whereby power is shared between the central government and 28 states.
However, communal, caste and regional tensions continue to haunt Indian politics, sometimes threatening its long-standing
democratic and secular ethos.
democratic and secular ethos.
In 1984 Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was gunned down by her Sikh bodyguards after ordering troops to flush out Sikh militants
from the Golden Temple in Amritsar.
from the Golden Temple in Amritsar.
And in 1992, widespread Hindu-Muslim violence erupted after Hindu extremists demolished the Babri mosque at Ayodhya.
Independent India's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, dreamed of a socialist society and created a vast public
infrastructure, much of which became a burden on the state.
infrastructure, much of which became a burden on the state.
From the late 1980s India began to open up to the outside world, encouraging economic reform and foreign investment. It is
now courted by the world's leading economic and political powers, including its one-time foe China.
now courted by the world's leading economic and political powers, including its one-time foe China.
The country has a burgeoning urban middle class and has made great strides in fields such as information technology. Its
large, skilled workforce makes it a popular choice for international companies seeking to outsource work.
large, skilled workforce makes it a popular choice for international companies seeking to outsource work.
But the vast mass of the rural population and urban slum-dwellers remains impoverished.
Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple, New Delhi; said to be the world's largest Hindu temple |
Their lives continue to be influenced by the ancient Hindu caste system, which assigns each person a place in the social
hierarchy. Discrimination on the basis of caste is now illegal and various measures have been introduced to empower
disadvantaged groups and give them easier access to opportunities - such as education and work.
hierarchy. Discrimination on the basis of caste is now illegal and various measures have been introduced to empower
disadvantaged groups and give them easier access to opportunities - such as education and work.
Poverty alleviation and literacy campaigns are ongoing.
Nuclear tests carried out by India in May 1998 and similar tests by Pakistan just weeks later provoked international
condemnation and concern over the stability of the region.
condemnation and concern over the stability of the region.
The US quickly imposed sanctions on India, but more recently the two countries have improved their ties, and even agreed to
share nuclear technology.
share nuclear technology.
India launches its own satellites and in 2008 sent its first spacecraft to the moon. It also boasts a massive cinema
industry, the products of which are among the most widely-watched films in the world.
industry, the products of which are among the most widely-watched films in the world.
FACTS
- Overview
- Facts
- Leaders
- Media
- Full name: Republic of India
- Population: 1.21 billion (UN, 2010)
- Capital: New Delhi
- Most-populated city: Mumbai (Bombay)
- Area: 3.1 million sq km (1.2 million sq miles), excluding
Indian-administered Kashmir (100,569 sq km/38,830 sq miles) - Major languages: Hindi, English and at least 16 other official
languages - Major religions: Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism,
Jainism - Life expectancy: 64 years (men), 67 years (women) (UN)
- Monetary unit: 1 Indian Rupee = 100 paise
- Main exports: Agricultural products, textile goods, gems and
jewellery, software services and technology, engineering goods, chemicals, leather products - GNI per capita: US $1180 (World Bank, 2009)
- Internet domain: .in
- International dialling code: +91
LEADERS
- Overview
- Facts
- Leaders
- Media
President: Pratibha Devi Singh Patil
Pratibha Patil became India's first female president in July 2007, after being voted into office by members of state
assemblies and the national parliament.
assemblies and the national parliament.
 President Pratibha Patil |
Mrs Patil, the candidate of the ruling Congress Party, was previously the little-known governor of the northwestern desert
state of Rajasthan. She drew criticism during the campaign over scandals involving family members, and over controversial
remarks.
state of Rajasthan. She drew criticism during the campaign over scandals involving family members, and over controversial
remarks.
Supporters hailed her election as a victory for women, but critics wondered how much influence she would have.
India has had several women in powerful positions - most notably Indira Gandhi, one of the world's first female prime
ministers in 1966 - but activists complain that women still face widespread discrimination.
ministers in 1966 - but activists complain that women still face widespread discrimination.
Mrs Patil succeeds APJ Abdul Kalam, a scientist and the architect of the country's missile programme.
Indian presidents have few actual powers, but they can decide which party or individual should form the central government
after general elections.
after general elections.
Prime
minister: Manmohan Singh
minister: Manmohan Singh
Mr Singh became prime minister in May 2004 after the Congress Party's unexpected success in general elections.
The party's president, Sonia Gandhi, the widow of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, shocked her supporters by declining the
top post, apparently to protect the party from damaging attacks over her Italian origin.
top post, apparently to protect the party from damaging attacks over her Italian origin.
 PM Singh took office after Sonia Gandhi turned down the job |
Mr Singh said his priorities were to reduce poverty and to plough on with economic reforms. He stated a desire for friendly
relations with India's neighbours, especially Pakistan.
relations with India's neighbours, especially Pakistan.
During his first year in office he held together a coalition which included communist allies and ministers accused of
corruption. He continued to pursue market-friendly economic policies and oversaw the introduction of nuclear
non-proliferation legislation.
corruption. He continued to pursue market-friendly economic policies and oversaw the introduction of nuclear
non-proliferation legislation.
But his promised "New Deal" for rural India - an attempt to raise the poorest citizens out of poverty - has still to bear
fruit, and by 2011 he was facing demands for inquiries into a series of financial scandals.
fruit, and by 2011 he was facing demands for inquiries into a series of financial scandals.
Manmohan Singh's government also came under intense pressure after the Mumbai attacks of November 2008, which left nearly 200
people dead and prompted a storm of criticism of security arrangements.
people dead and prompted a storm of criticism of security arrangements.
However, Mr Singh's Congress-led coalition scored an emphatic victory at general elections in April and May 2009, coming
within 11 seats of winning an absolute majority in parliament.
within 11 seats of winning an absolute majority in parliament.
The emphatic defeat of the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) confounded predictions of a close contest.
While still needing the support of some smaller parties, the government looked to be in a much stronger position to pursue
economic reforms, particularly against opposition from left.
economic reforms, particularly against opposition from left.
Mr Singh made his reputation as a finance minister in the early 1990s, under the Narasimha Rao government, when he was the
driving force behind economic liberalisation.
driving force behind economic liberalisation.
A Sikh born in West Punjab, Mr Singh is a former International Monetary Fund official and governor of India's Central Bank.
He was educated at Oxford and Cambridge.
He was educated at Oxford and Cambridge.
MEDIA
- Overview
- Facts
- Leaders
- Media
Indian broadcasting has flourished since state TV's monopoly was broken in 1992. The array of channels is still
growing.
growing.
Private cable and satellite stations command large audiences. News programmes often outperform entertainment shows. Many
24-hour news channels are up and running and more are planned.
24-hour news channels are up and running and more are planned.
 Established newspapers are slugging it out with new rivals |
Doordarshan, the public TV, operates 21 services including its flagship DD1 channel, which reaches some 400 million
viewers.
viewers.
Multichannel, direct-to-home (DTH) TV has been a huge hit. Five operators - Dish TV, Tata-Sky, Sun Direct, Big TV and Airtel
Digital TV - have attracted millions of subscribers. State-owned Doordarshan Direct offers a free-to-air DTH service.
Digital TV - have attracted millions of subscribers. State-owned Doordarshan Direct offers a free-to-air DTH service.
Some industry sources say the number of DTH subscribers could reach 60 million by 2015. The cable TV market is one of the
world's largest.
world's largest.
Since they were given the green light in 2000, music-based FM radio stations have proliferated in the cities. But only public
All India Radio can broadcast news.
All India Radio can broadcast news.
India's press is lively. Driven by a growing middle class, newspaper circulation has risen and new titles compete with
established dailies.
established dailies.
Internet use has
soared; by late 2008, around 81 million Indians were online (Internetworldstats).
Paris-based Reporters Without Borders says press freedom is threatened by "the violence of political parties as well as
religious and separatist groups" (India - Annual report 2008).
religious and separatist groups" (India - Annual report 2008).
The press
- Deccan Herald -
Bangalore-based daily - The Hindu -
Madras-based daily - The Hindustan
Times - New Delhi-based daily - The Pioneer - New
Delhi-based daily - The Indian
Express - New Delhi-based daily - The Statesman -
Calcutta-based daily - The Times of
India - Mumbai-based daily - The Asian Age - New
Delhi-based daily - India Today - New
Delhi-based news magazine - Outlook - New
Delhi-based news magazine
Television
- Doordarshan
Television - public TV; operates national, regional, local and satellite services - Zee TV - satellite,
cable TV services operated by Zee Group - STAR TV - operates
satellite, cable TV services including STAR News, owned by News Corporation - Sony Entertainment
TV - commercial channel - Aaj Tak - 24-hour
news in Hindi - New Delhi TV
(NDTV) - operates NDTV-India and NDTV 24x7 news channels - Sun Network -
commercial multi-channel broadcaster
Radio
- All India Radio -
public, operates domestic and external networks - Radio Mirchi -
commercial network, stations in Mumbai, Delhi and other cities, mainly music, operated by The Times Group - Radio City -
commercial, FM stations in Delhi, Mumbai and other cities, owned by News Corporation - Red FM -
commercial, operated by India Today Group
News agency
- Press Trust of
India - non-profit, owned by newspaper titles
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