India, the world’s most populous country, is a major economic and political power in South Asia. Known for its vast linguistic, cultural, and geographic diversity, India has a rich history that spans thousands of years, with deep-rooted traditions in philosophy, science, art, and religion. Its large population and vast history mark its economic and cultural importance.
While India’s civilization can be traced to the Harrapan era, that is, 1400 BCE, its modern political boundaries were established in 1947 when it gained independence from British rule. It is now a federal parliamentary democracy with 28 states and 8 union territories, with New Delhi as its capital. India has a democratic system with a multiparty political landscape, with the Indian National Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party being the two dominant national parties.
As one of the fastest-growing major economies, India is a global hub for technology, manufacturing, and services, while also being an agrarian powerhouse. It is a nuclear-armed state and plays a key role in regional and global geopolitics, maintaining strategic partnerships with various nations.
India is one of the most ethnically and religiously diverse countries in the world, home to multiple religions, sects, castes, and tribes. It has more than ten-thousand languages and hundreds of regional dialects, with Hindi and English serving as the two of the 22 official languages. Despite economic progress, India faces challenges such as poverty, unemployment, and environmental concerns, alongside managing its complex social fabric and regional disparities.
Writer has brought up an important sentiment that is very much the case on the ground here in the Maldives.
While the ordinary people in the capital city (where the large majority of maldivians reside) cannot escape the sight of (even if they tried) – chinese-maldives friendship bridge connecting Male’ and Airport/Hulhumale (the next urban city)
the numerous chinese funded housing projects where people are moving into every passing day,
Largest hotel and hospital in Male’ built by chinese contractors…
What India is doing for Maldivians is
cut supply of essential commodities,
deny visas not only for MPs but for ordinary people going for healthcare and education.
I think this is misguided foreign policy.
A $ 13 trillion dragon and a $ 2.5 trillion elephant. Roughly equal populations. That suggests realism and pragmatism in the conduct of foreign policy. Dokalam was a stark reminder that advebturism does not pay.