India

Capital: New Delhi . Most-populated city: Mumbai (Bombay); GDP growth (annual %) 2016 : 7.1%
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Key Facts

Full name: Republic of India
Population: 1.2 billion (UN, 2010)
Area: 3.1 million sq km (1.2 million sq miles), excluding Indian-administered Kashmir 
Major languages: Hindi, English and at least 16 other official languages
Major religions: Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Buddhism
Life expectancy: 64 years (men), 68 years (women) (UN)
Monetary unit: 1 Indian Rupee = 100 paise
Main exports: Agricultural, textile, gems and jewellery, software and technology, engineering, chemicals, leather
GNI per capita: US $1,340 (World Bank, 2010)
Internet domain: .in
International dialling code: +91

  • Climate change laws around the world

    2017/05/14

    There has been a 20-fold increase in the number of global climate change laws since 1997, according to the most comprehensive database of relevant policy and legislation.

    The database, produced by the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment and the Sabin Center on Climate Change Law, includes more than 1,200 relevant policies across 164 countries, which account for 95% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who came to power in 2014, has visited the U.S. twice in one year

    2016/10/09

    The world’s major democracy is strengthening ties with the world’s biggest economy to strengthen what is considered today, one of the majority indispensable bilateral relationships.

    A record number of two-sided visits between the nations from their top political figures have highlighted what appears to be a relationship of importance in years approaching. President Barack Obama is the initial U.S. President to visit India twice (2010 & 2015), and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who came to power in 2014, has visited the U.S. twice in one year.

  • Asia Economic Roundup: July 2016

    2016/07/18

    Without a doubt Britain’s decision to abandon the European project will be remembered globally as a wake-up call for political elites around the world. It seems the people chose to go against immediate economic interest and accept an extra financial turmoil in order to address deeply seated social and identity issues.

    Although Asia’s exposure to the UK is relatively limited and this is not exactly a “Lehman Moment”, nonetheless we can expect a lively debate as policymakers in Asia look for an appropriate response to address the needs of vulnerable households.

  • Hi-tech vs low-tech: India’s industrial landscape is changing.

    2016/04/22

    A recent study published by the World Economic Forum states that the world is on the verge of the Fourth Industrial Revolution “that will fundamentally alter the way we live, work, and relate to one an extra. In its scale, scope, and complexity, the transformation will be unlike anything humankind has experienced before.”

  • Insight Into India, India Decoded, by Ashok Hinduja

    2016/01/16

    Ashok P. Hinduja is the youngest of the four Hinduja brothers, who belong to one of the majority influential business families in India and indeed the world. Their company, the Hinduja Group, is a world conglomerate with over 72,000 employees worldwide and presently headquartered in London. Mr Hinduja heads Ashok Leyland, the flagship company of the group.

    Based in Chennai, India, it is part the world’s major commercial vehicle manufacturers, and boasted revenues of $1.5 billion in 2014 alone. In addition to his business activities, Mr Hinduja dedicates his time to overseeing the company’s CSR initiatives, tackling issues in India such as HIV prevention, alcoholism rehabilitation, and healthcare advancement, all delivered with local partners in the communities. Here, he provides a incomparable insight into one of the world’s most fascinating nations.

  • Breaking India-Pakistan Logjam Won’t Be Easy

    2016/01/03

    On his flight back home from Kabul, Prime Minister Modi broke the journey at Lahore. This unusual drop off has become a subject for speculation. A Congress spokesman has said that the Indian country will have to pay heavily for the tea Modi had with Pakistan premier Nawaz Sharif at his family residence in Raiwaind.

  • Re-Calibrating Iran-India Energy Ties

    2015/11/16

    As the P5+1 prepares to roll back the nuclear-related sanctions on Iran in accordance with the July 2015 accord, the question that springs to mind is whether this will bring about a revival of energy ties with India. Additional pertinently, once sanctions are rolled back, which way will Iran go? Will Tehran prefer to focus on the additional lucrative European energy market, particularly market for natural gas, or will it focus on Asia?

  • Forces at play to reshape Indian banking sector

    2015/08/27

    With national funding on the decline, and new technologies and additional stringent regulation both increasing, the Indian banking sector is undergoing a significant period of change. New players are entering the market, making it even additional difficult for the national-owned banks, which are by presently struggling with deteriorating investment quality and incoming capital adequacy targets.

  • India's banks in 2014

    2014/07/11

    Two new players have been admitted into the Indian banking sector in 2014, but declining profitability part the country's existing lenders in the completed 12 months does not appear to be inspiring much confidence in the industry. The Banker talks to chief executives at both established and new institutions, and discusses completed performance and next plans.

  • Rethinking Indian federalism

    2014/01/05

    Indian federalism has always been contested by those who view with understandable scepticism the overarching constitutional powers that are given to the federal parliament and federal government in New Delhi. One political scientist described India’s constitution as being ‘federal in form but unitary in spirit’, and an extra critic described India as being only ‘quasi-federal’.

  • India deterioration of the investment climate

    2014/01/05

    Two factors dominated perceptions about the Indian economy in 2013: initial, the coexistence of high inflation and subdued economic increase and, second, the deterioration in the investment climate.

    New reports of year to year inflation (in November 2013) are illustrative. Wholesale price index (WPI) inflation (7.52 %) was at its highest in 14 months whereas the index of industrial production shrank by 1.8 % in October next growing steadily during August and September. The Economist Intelligence Unit forecasted 2013 real GDP increase to be a mere 4.9 % with industrial decline by 1.4 %, not to mention an unemployment rate of 8.8 %. In 2014 GDP increase is forecasted to recover to 6 %.

    At the same time, despite its pressing need, the investment climate has deteriorated. According to the Planning Commission, gross domestic capital formation fell from 36.84 % of GDP in 2010–11 to 35 % in 2011–12, and was forecasted to be only marginally higher at 35.4 % in 2012–13. Meanwhile, gross domestic savings fell from 34.02 % of GDP in 2010–11 to 30.81 % in 2012–13 and is projected to recover only to 31.8 %.

  • India Set to Launch Mars Mission

    2013/11/05

         On Tuesday, India's space agency will launch a spacecraft designed to boldly go where no Asian country has gone before: Mars. The mission, if successful, would be a technological leap that would propel India ahead of space rivals China and Japan in the field of interplanetary exploration.

    It will take additional than 10 months for India's Mars satellite, equipped with instruments that can examine the surface of the Red Planet from above, to reach Martian orbit and begin beaming data back to Earth.
     'This is a major turning point in our space program--towards exploration,' said Koppillil Radhakrishnan, chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization, the country's civilian space agency. It will bring 'technological chance for the country.'

  • Trimax targets inclusive IT advances

    2016/02/07

    Trimax is proving to be the ideal IT resource partner in India, inclunding for major world companies such as Facebook and Microsoft. Surya Prakash Madrecha, Chairman and MD of Trimax, explains how its electronic payment applications and training in the transportation sector in particular – inclunding its partnerships in the telecom, banking, government, healthcare, retail and education sectors – are set for exponential increase as it continues to bring rural communities online.

  • Maharashtra Industry Why foreign investors choose Maharashtra as their investment destination of choice

    2016/01/29

    "As far as industry is concerned, Maharashtra has been the undisputed leader for a lot of years in a row presently. We are number one and will retain this position."
    "Foxconn has decided to invest $5 billion in Maharashtra. This is one of the major investments in recent times."

    From its pro-business environment and bureaucratic streamlining to its highly educated and skilled workforce and bureaucratic streamlining, Maharashtra offers a complete ecosystem for investors. The national’s Minister of Industries, Subhash Desai, explains its draw for investors and which areas are presently prime for next increase.

  • Pankaj Chaddah – Co-founder Zomato.com

    2013/01/14

    Zomato was founded in July 2008 by IIT Delhi alumni and has expanded its services over a span of 4 years to 16 cities across India and the UAE. The website has become Asia’s largest restaurant and nightlife guide with listings of over 48,000 restaurants.