India - A Superpower?

[freespeech2012 0]

Indians love grandeur!

Be it the big-fat Indian wedding, or the legacy of joint-mega-family, or the bollywood flick with half a dozen songs, each one of them, at times picturing over 100 dancers- all choreographed to loud and pomp music.

So well, in India size does matter- the bigger the better!

 

India is a big country, it is ranked 7^th in the world in terms of land area. And well, to fill this vast land, we got enough people- over 1.20 billion of them. Now that’s a XXXL crowd of people!

 

So we got the first check-box ticked for a ‘super-power’? - the size and the fondness for it.

(after all US and the resurging China have exemplified that a large piece of land is a good start-point to become a rising superpower!)

 

So what does ‘Superpower’ mean? For a nation, it indicates global clout – a voice of power in matters of world trade, international affairs, and of course a strong economy!

 

But how would, if our country does attain this position help you and me, or to a daily wage earning laborer from one of our interior villages, or the countless service class people in metro cities?

 

Ironic, isn’t it? I think this is where the word ‘superpower’ gets misplaced. A common man wouldn’t care a damn if, even after India becomes a world super-power, there is no substantial improvement in the daily ordeal for him.

 

He would rather prefer an improved public transport (an additional local train or two to ease the peak hour rush a couple more buses plying on the busy routes)…affordable housing, effective policing and security, regular power supply, better hospitals, convenience in securing the basic amenities food, equitable social development and a happy life, than attaining the dream of a super-power nation.

 

I understand that this is not a new topic, and it will be an endless list of things that each one of us will be able to provide of things we think need urgent fixing, but shall we just put a top 3 of things that we think can imminently ease the common man’s life!

 

(lets uphold public spirit and mention things that will benefit maximum) J

[sheepdog 10]

Check box number 2 just got checked off. I see India has another leg up on the road to being a superpower country. Saw on the news last night that they just successfully tested a missile that can launch an atomic bomb! Just what everybody wants eh? The news comentators were bringing attention to the fact that nobody really said much or complained about India doing it, but how everyone had such a fit when North Korea did. I have no idea how this would help the common man though. Unless it prevented another country from attacking Inda since they now have this type of weaponry.

[freespeech2012 0]

I agree with you sheepdog...Its good and well, a matter of pride too that India now has a missile that can hit places as far as China. It certainly boosts our armed forces' confidence, but hey, how best would it have been if we had similar advancements in 'electricity generation' 'developing irritation projects' etc. I guess enjoying public welfare and amenities in our country is akin to ones good fortune!

[Okara KAmi 0]

Do you guys not believe that there is what seems like a market bubble in Indian real estate? I think a large portion of India's imported cash comes from foreign investments into the land. What happens when you have foreign investors is that they are willing to function in a higher price bracket than what is normal in the Indian economy. With enough "rich" people investing in Indian land, the price of the land steadily grows higher to accomodate the willingness of the buyer to pay more.What this has done, especially in my home town (Ahmedabad), is it's made the property prices sky-rocket. The average Indian struggles to buy land, because single floor condos (known as "Flats" in India) can sell in the 100's of thousands (lakhs) or Rupees. Do you guys think that this market can last? When does the investment interest in India begin declining due to the rate of increase in Indian prices? When does India stop being an out source capital and other rising countries become more viable options?What I'm saying is, the more foreign interest in India, the richer India gets.The richer India gets, the higher the prices go.The higher the prices go, the lesser the foreign interest gets.I know that might be an oversimplification of the matter, but I think it's a real obstacle.

[freespeech2012 0]

surely, the business of real estate (especially in urban India) is getting reserved for only the rich and powerful. I guess, in addition to the element of foreign investments (black money etc), it is also a clear case of inaction on part of the government/administrative agencies. There can be a more pro-active role by the state governments and municipal corporations to see to it that an important social need such as 'housing and development' is more strictly monitored and regulated. It is often heard about property scams, disproportionate rates, etc making headlines in cities, and such news are seldom un-associated with govt. officials or civic authorities or even some political tones. I just think that India, as nation is making its progress, but in a very unscrupulous manner!

[udayvedanthuman 0]

Any country become super power only when there is one good political head there. Who can drive the country and his countrymen to a direction that will make that person worth of that position. India got independence with too much struggle and sacrifice by many individuals. But it went into wrong hands. If I have to name some greats in Indian politics. Then I would like to name Lal Bahadur Shastri and the next person is Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Now the political scenario is too bad in the country. Narendra Modi has the capacity to drive the country. But the question is will he get the chance to reach to that level or not...every corrupt politician is waiting to reach to the top. So seeing this kind of corruption going on in India. I don't think that India can ever be a super power.