Soon, the world will be witnessing the emergence of another superpower: India. Already a strong regional power and fuelled by the zeal of the younger generation, the nation is slowly but steadily shaping into an economic and political juggernaut. With an unrivalled air force, superior navy and army, India is unquestionably a nation with exceptional military capabilities. The recent signing of the historic nuclear deal between the U.S. and India will boost the country’s growth further, as the energy needs for civilian and numerous other constructive purposes can then be managed easily.
The Indian political framework is strongly rooted in democracy and the country’s judicial system and media act as watch-dogs to ensure that any deviation, minor or major, is brought to limelight and receives appropriate treatment. Albeit the nation has witnessed rare instabilities on the political front, the country’s democratic set-up is robust and efficient. The media and judiciary have promoted egalitarianism and transformed the Indian people into an alert populace demanding good governance and transparency in operation. The country still is dealing with problems such as illiteracy and poverty, but going by the present trends, such problems will become things of the past. Media sources and political analysts all around the globe clearly foresee India’s emergence as an economic and political superpower in the next few decades. Nevertheless, stringent and prompt actions from the government are imminent to realize this vision.
India’s population–once considered a bane–has turned out to be a boon. The nation’s population will aid in surpassing China, Russia, and Brazil in the manufacturing sector, India is the only country where the population will grow for at least five more decades. Over 50 per cent of the country’s citizens are below 25 years of age, a productive age group that is propelling the country’s growth. Despite all this, intensive programs must be launched concurrently to educate the masses about the need to curb population and the idea of small families must be promoted in order to achieve optimal performance.
Industrialized nations around the globe are experiencing a ‘catch-22’ situation. If outsourcing is banned, expenditures will soar and companies will be out of the global market; on the other hand, their populace can not find hi-tech jobs if outsourcing is permitted. If global manufacturing indices are anything to go by, India is sitting in a comfortable position as the second most favoured FDI destination. Infrastructure ventures have led to the development of excellent roads and a project to link rivers is in the cards. The golden-quadrilateral, a colossal project linking the four major metropolitan cities of the country, is set to revolutionize the transportation sector. The country’s rail network, the second largest in the world, is on the fast-track of modernization and the capital already has set the clock ticking by opening a state-of-the-art metro that caters to a huge chunk of commuters. India is revered as a knowledge warehouse and the remarkable contribution by Indian scientists, engineers, and information technology people are recognized world-wide. Today, India is an IT hub that is virtually running the businesses software companies spread across continents. India is also an outstanding space-power and advanced nations are vying to participate in Indian Space Research Organization space mission Chandrayaan.
The country’s gargantuan industrial plants, missiles, rockets, and satellites cannot, however, force overlooking the illiteracy and poverty plaguing the society. Enhancing rural infrastructure, revamping the labour sector and providing adequate education to the youth must be given utmost priority. Stringent rules are needed to prevent corruption and the public must also act responsibly instead of simply casting the blame. Now, due recognition is being given to honest bureaucrats and headlines are flooded with stringent actions against fraudulent ones. While the receipt of international aid is on the decline, India’s aid to other nations is fast escalating.
The Indian political machinery has elected Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, an architect of India’s defense programs, to the country’s highest office of the president. Headed by a globally revered scientist, the country is steadily marching to become a force that is bound to change the political equations, both regionally and globally.