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arable land. The country is also rich
in minerals. India leads the world
in iron ore reserves, and has large
deposits of manganese, mica, coal,
chromium, bauxite and gypsum.
l ndia's oi l production has
doubled
over the last four years.
The water resources of Indian
rivers-wi th thei r irrigation poten–
tial- are enormous. lndia's Ganges
is one of the great river basins in
the world. India's bountiful sup–
plies of water and sunshine have
been recognized since a ncient times
as being among her most precious
resources.
India is also rich in possibly the
most valuable commodity of all–
her tremendous
human
resources.
lndians are an intell igent, talented
people. Though many lack skill and
education- especially in scientific
and technical field s- or have
grown up malnourished, the poten–
tia! manpower and brainpower that
they represent must be seen as an
enormous asset.
1
ndia has millions
of unde remployed laborers just
waiting to be employed productive–
ly. Even now, India already has one
of the largest populations of scien–
tists, technicians and college grad–
uates in the world.
The successes and potentials of
lndia's economy have made it the
envy of many Third World coun–
tries. Inftation in India stands at
only 6 percent- far less than in
many developing countries. India's
standard of living is higher than
many other parts of the world.
India also has a large and grow–
ing middle class, numbering 70 to
100 mili ion- by far the largest
middle class in the Third World.
Life expectancy nationwide has ris–
en to 55, up from 23 at the turn of
the century. This is well more than
a decade longer than the life span
in many African nat ions. The typi–
cal Indian today lives twice as long
as his g rand father!
lnternational Role
Economic growth is transforming
India's place in the world. It is
shaping and coloring lndia's alti–
tudes about herself and about the
world at large. India's relations
with her neighbors and with the
industrialized world are undergoing
rapid change. New Delhi is search-
ing for her proper international
role, for a foreign policy that will
broaden her options and g ive her
greater diplomatic clout.
Of greatest concern to the new
India are relations with her long–
time arcbrival , Pakistan. The two
neigbbors have fought three wars in
the 38 years since Britain parti–
tioned the subcontinent.
In the wake of Indi ra Gandhi 's
assassination, however, observers
see fresh hope for the establishment
of neighborly ties. Pakistan's Presi–
dent Zia ul-Haq was the first for–
eign leader to cable his condolences
to New Delhi, and he proclaimed
three days of national mourning in
Pakistan. He also sent a message to
Rajiv Gandhi pledging his " full
support" in efforts to "bui ld a rela–
tionship of trust and confidence"
between the two nations and "create
a secure and tranqui l environment
in our region."
Efforts are also under way to
patch up relations with the People's
Republic of China. India fought a
short border war with the Asían
giant in 1962.
Prime Minister G andh i has
accepted an invitation for an offi–
cial visit to Beijing. He will be the
fi rst Indian premier to do so in
three decades. Observers see this as
a significant milestone in relations
between Asia's biggest nations.
Nervous over Indi a's fence–
mending with Beijing is the loom–
ing superpower on lndia's northern
doorstep, the U.S.S.R.
India has long been tagged with
a pro-Soviet label, though the
Indian government officially de–
scribes its policy as "independent,"
"centrist" or "nonaligned." In
1971 India signed a 20-year friend–
ship treaty with the Soviet Union,
which sees India as one of its best
friends in the developing world.
India, with the world's fourth–
largest military force, is a regular
buyer of Soviet arms and Moscow' s
biggest trading partner among the
developing countries. Rajiv Gandhi
has assured M oscow that India will
continue to consolidate f riendl y
relations witb the Soviet Union.
lndia's generally pro-Soviet lea n–
ings, many Indians are quick to
point out, are not out of an attrac–
tion for the Soviet way of life (In-
dia's economy is essentially capital–
istic). They are simply lndian self–
interest.
R ealpolitik,
not senti–
ment, is involved.
Relations between India and the
United States-the world's two
largest democracies-were badly
st rained by the U.S. arming of
Pakistan in the wake of the Soviet
presence in Afghanistan. Within
India , American a rms sales to
lslamabad were widely viewed as
anti- 1ndian.
M u tu a l s u sp icion persist s,
though under the highly Western–
ized Raj iv Gandhi, U.S. observers
are cautiously optimistic that rela–
tions between Washington and
New Delhi will improve. Just as
the United States played a majar
role in lndia's Oreen Revolution,
Indians today see America as a
majar source of technology and
capital infusion to help boost their
country's prívate sector. Even so,
New Del hi 's special relations with
Moscow are expected to continue
into the foreseeable future.
Good News Ahead!
For all of l ndia's impressive gains,
major obstacles still lie on the path
that would transform India into a
dynamic a nd fully prosperous
nation.
1ndia faces pressing problems
within and geopolitical uncertain–
ties without.
Will l ndia's leaders be able to
resolve the huge problems of gov–
erning such a large democracy with
so many diversified interests?
In the broader context of world
geopolitics, will India be able to
avoid being swept into the mael–
strom of the turbulent crises proph–
esied to envelop much of the world
in the years ahead?
·
I n the fi nal analysis, lndia's
interna! and externa! problems will
not be solved apart from solving the
problems of the world at large. The
good news
announced by this mag–
azine is that beyond the troubles of
this age, a time of world peace and
prosperity is soon coming-sooner
than many think!- for the whole
world. And in this new world, India
is destined to become a land of
prosperity and plenty for all-a
land finally freed of religious and
social conflicts! o