5/14/2014

8 reasons why Indias elections really matter to the world | GlobalPost

Connect to share and comment

Chatter

Wires

Hide Ads

Get our Newsletter

Awards
HOME

BREAKING NEWS

BUSINESS

PHOTOS

VIDEO

SPECIAL REPORTS

MISSION

REGIONS

SECTIONS

Home Regions Asia-Pacific India

James Tapper

March 31 , 201 4 03:50

8 reasons why Indias elections

really matter to the world
Nuclear weapons, conflict in Afghanistan, drug-resistant superbugs and the cost of
wedding rings are at stake.
Facebook

NEW DELHI, India With 48 countries

going to the polls this year, it would be
easy to dismiss Indias April general
election as just more democracy in action.
But India is different, and not only
because it is the worlds largest
democracy.
The current prime minister, Manmohan
Singh, is stepping down which means the
world will see a new leader of the
subcontinents 1.3 billion people. That new
leader will rule over nearly one out of
every five people on planet Earth.

ENLARGE
Right-w ing Hindu activists from Shiva Sena burn an effigy of Indian
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as they shout anti-China slogans
during a protest against an incursion by Chinese troops in May 2013.
In elections that begin in April, the right w ing BJP appears likely to w in
control of India. (Raveendran/AFP/Getty Images)

MOST SHARED
28 REASONS YOU
SHOULD PACK UP AND
MOVE TO BRUSSELS

Favored to win is the charismatic

nationalist Narendra Modi, of the
opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, who
would be expected to follow a Hindu

THIS METAL-EATING
PLANT JUST
DISCOVERED IN THE
PHILIPPINES COULD
SAVE THE WORLD

nationalist agenda.
But whoever emerges as the winner when
the results are announced on May 12 will

HERE'S WHERE
GENOCIDE IS MOST
LIKELY TO HAPPEN

have some tough decisions to make, which

will have a real impact on people around
the world.
Here are 8 reasons:

HOW RUSSIA ARMS

AMERICAS SOUTHERN
NEIGHBORS

1. India is developing a nuclear missile that could reach the United States
Sure, its unlikely that India would decide to launch a nuclear attack on the United States. But
that hasnt stopped the country from designing a missile that could reach Alaska. The Agni VI is
due for its first flight test in 2017 and is reported to have an intended range of 10,000
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/asia-pacific/india/140325/reasons-india-elections-matter-world

1/6

5/14/2014

8 reasons why Indias elections really matter to the world | GlobalPost

kilometers (6,200 miles). New York is about 11,500km (7,150 miles) from Delhi.
India already has an intercontinental ballistic missile with a range of 5,000km (3,100 miles):

NORTH KOREA
RELEASED A LIST OF US
HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES

the Agni V which can reach Beijing and Teheran. It has fought wars with Pakistan and China,
but the land-based Agni VI missile would allow Indias next prime minister to potentially
threaten western Europe and Australia, in addition to parts of the US.
Modi is an enthusiastic supporter of Indias nuclear armory. Last year he wrote that the
original nuclear tests, under the BJPs previous Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, were
very much a test of our political will and needless to say, we passed the test with flying colors.
Indias nuclear ambition may enable a future leader to lobby harder for a seat on the United
Nations Security Council something leaders of all parties have been keen to win.
2. China keeps invading India
For the past year, Chinese soldiers have made regular incursions into the disputed Himalayan
border area of Ladakh in Kashmir.
The tension was sparked by a 21-day stand-off last May between Indian and Chinese soldiers.
That is one of many potential flash points between the two countries, home to about a third of
the worlds population. China has a territorial claim on north-eastern state of Arunachal
Pradesh, and there has been a long-running dispute about the Brahmaputra river, which begins
in Chinese-controlled Tibet and flows into India. A series of Chinese hydroelectric dam projects
have made Indians nervous that the river might be diverted to irrigate the dry southern
regions of China.

MOST COMMENTED
NORTH KOREA'S STATE
NEWS AGENCY JUST
CALLED OBAMA SOME
INSANELY RACIST
THINGS

URUGUAY PRESIDENT
DECRIES TOBACCO
'MURDER' IN OBAMA
TALKS

Then there is the Dalai Lama, a symbol of Tibetan autonomy, scorned by China and protected
by India. And India has close relations with Japan, whose soft loans have funded much of
Indias growing infrastructure. Japan and China have a decidedly chilly relationship right now.

HERE'S WHERE
GENOCIDE IS MOST
LIKELY TO HAPPEN

Modi, whose popularity centers on his tough guy image, has been shy about referencing
foreign policy on the election trail, but he made an exception in February.
China should give up its expansionist attitude and adopt a development mindset, he said at a
rally in northeast India. No power on earth can take away even an inch from India.

AMAZON PRESSURE
TACTICS REPORTED IN
HACHETTE CONTRACT
TALKS

Of course, its one thing to talk tough, another to take on another nuclear power, and analysts
believe there is unlikely to be a significant change in foreign policy. But the rhetoric and
constant border tension between the two countries is not something the international
community can afford to ignore.

ON LOCATION VIDEO:
LIBYA HAS BECOME A
DEADLY DOOR TO
EUROPE

3. India is leading the way in superbugs that could harm you

Antibiotic drugs are the cornerstone of modern healthcare, but their rampant overuse in
India is contributing to a major health problem, according to the World Health Organisation
[pdf].
At a regional meeting of the WHO last year, researchers said they had found antibiotic
resistance in up to 80 percent of reported cholera cases and up to 50 percent of typhoid fever
cases.
Nearly 17,000 Indians have contracted drug-resistant tuberculosis, and as many as 200 million
Indians could be carrying an enzyme that makes them resistant to all existing forms of
antibiotic drug, according to British researchers.
Antibiotics for humans and animals are available over the counter in India, with few guidelines
in hospitals about when they should be used, the WHO researchers said.
Making matters worse, the government isnt terribly eager to deal with the problem head-on.
For example, British researcher Tim Walsh says he was barred from entering India after
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/asia-pacific/india/140325/reasons-india-elections-matter-world

2/6

5/14/2014

8 reasons why Indias elections really matter to the world | GlobalPost

discovering the New Delhi Metallo 1 superbug in 2010.

We were banned from India and India had a massive clamp down on sending [biological]
strains out, Mr Walsh told the Wall Street Journal. Indians were banned from working with
me, or anybody in Europe. The whole thing was a systematic campaign to control research into
antibiotic resistance in India.
Meanwhile, India has a large and growing health tourism industry, worth around $2 billion,
meaning that people from all over the world travel to its clinics and hospitals, potentially
spreading any problems that exist there.
4. A fifth of the worlds billionaires are Indian
Modi is a darling of big business, especially Indian big business. He has appeared on platforms
alongside steel and tea magnate Ratan Tata, oil and retail tycoon Mukesh Ambani, and diamond
and coal entrepreneur Gautam Adani. They may expect to see a return on their investment in
brand Modi, if he wins. Adani controls Indias largest port, Mundra in Gujarat, and hopes that a
Modi government might clear away red tape to allow him to expand it.
Investors believe his administration would be much more capable than the present Congress
Party-led coalition government. Modi also has spoken positively about foreign investment in
India. International firms have complained they operate in uncertain conditions, with Nokia and
Vodafone both facing multibillion dollar tax claims and other firms criticizing complex and
unevenly enforced regulations.
5. Talented expat Indians who work in western businesses may decide to go home
in large numbers if they feel there are more opportunities there
The Indian diaspora has made a major contribution to the economies of countries like Britain
and the US. Since the 1990s, the Indian government has been trying to entice them back home,
and thousands returned during the boom years of the 2000s.
The numbers returning slowed down when the Indian economy slumped after the global
financial crisis, but a pick up in Indias fortunes could see the numbers growing.
Modi regularly makes televised speeches to Indians living in the US. As the chief minister of
Gujarat, he has successfully courted Indian expats, known as NRIs or Non-Resident Indians.
Gujarati NRIs have funded a large number of public works in Modis state.
6. Indian politicians take climate change seriously
Indias economic potential is limited by its poor access to cheap energy. It has few oil and coal
resources and its reliance on imported fuel makes it vulnerable to changes in oil prices and
currency dips.
Modi is one of the few politicians to have made climate change a central part of his platform.
Like former US Vice President Al Gore, he wrote a book about the issue and has pushed solar
energy as part of the solution to Indias power troubles.
Around 40 percent of Gujarats power comes from solar energy and Modi believes India should
focus more on renewable energy.
The time has arrived for a saffron revolution, and the color of energy is saffron, he said at a
rally in February. God has showered our country with an abundance of renewable energy. If
these renewable resources were exploited properly, we wouldnt have required mining coal or
spending so much on importing crude and petroleum products.
Using renewable energy would no doubt help cut Indias carbon emissions, but a larger market
for solar panels could help boost research into improving solar cell efficiency.
7. Afghanistan is about to become Indias and Pakistans problem
With NATO soldiers withdrawing from Afghanistan, the onus is on its regional neighbors to
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/asia-pacific/india/140325/reasons-india-elections-matter-world

3/6

5/14/2014

8 reasons why Indias elections really matter to the world | GlobalPost

ensure the country continues its climb towards stability.

That would be hard enough Afghanistan is known as the graveyard of empires for a reason
but it also means the next Indian Prime Minister will need to work with Pakistan. Yes, thats
the same country India has waged war against three times since independence in 1947.
There is deep suspicion between the two countries about the others involvement in
Afghanistan. Pakistan has long held to a doctrine of strategic depth viewing the Afghanistan
border area as a place for its leadership to retreat to in the event of an Indian invasion. India
believes Pakistani influence has enabled militants such as Lashkar-e-Taiba to use this region as
a base from which to launch terror attacks in India. Meanwhile Pakistan believes India is using
its growing influence in Afghanistan to aid Baluchistan separatists
While the NATO-led forces were present in Afghanistan, the two countries had less space to
operate. As soldiers go, there is the potential for it to become a new proxy for the conflict over
Kashmir.
The new prime minister will face a choice between aggressively extending Indias influence in
Afghanistan and potentially provoking Pakistan, or taking a more careful approach that might
allow China to advance its own interests.
As Gujarats chief minister, Modi has been involved in Indian aid to Afghanistan, and he made it
a talking point when he met US Ambassador Nancy Powell in February.
As a nationalist strongman, Modi is expected by some to take a tough line with Pakistan. But he
may follow Vajpayee in trying to establish a more peaceful relationship between the two
nations.
8. Your gold could get more valuable again
Gold is part of the Indian way of life. Every bride expects to receive some gold on her wedding
day, and it is seen as a sign of good luck, as well as being considered a safe investment. The
demand for gold means India has imported around 950 metric tons (about 1,050 US tons) each
year.
But in July 2013, the Indian government raised duty on gold imports to try to solve its current
account deficit. The idea was that reducing demand would reduce the amount of Indian
currency flowing out of the country.
World gold prices have also gone down, but India has been hit by a massive rise in gold
smuggling. Modi and the BJP have criticized the import duty on gold and would probably
reduce tariffs or abolish the duty.
> CONTINUE READING

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/asia-pacific/india/140325/reasons-indiaelections-matter-world
World Leaders

Elections

Want to Know

China

India

Japan

Pakistan

United States
ADVERTISEMENT

Trending Articles and Offers

Easy Tips to Reduce Your

Cell Phone Bill and Save
Thousands Today With a
Single Call.

How to lose weight fast and These are the tips your
keep it off!
bank doesn't want you to
know. Save Thousands in
Credit Card Fees

Essential Tricks to Help You

Retire Early and With More
Money.

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/asia-pacific/india/140325/reasons-india-elections-matter-world

4/6

5/14/2014

8 reasons why Indias elections really matter to the world | GlobalPost

The Mandatory Dating

Advice You Must Follow to
Have a Successful
Relationship.

Follow these simple tips to

lose weight and look great!

Avoid Bankrupting Your

Family and Destroying Their
Future With These Simple
Tips on Life Insurance

A Long Time Product Tester

Revels the Secrets to
Getting FREE Products From
Companies.

Up Next
2:23

Miss Venezuela
before she won

Up Next
4:21

The Science of
Animal Tracking

4:42

Rio de Janeiro's
Bikini Cop

4:12

Argentina's
Captain Everyman

2:23

5:39

Christian tattoos in
Egypt

Pakistan's Hottest
Dancing Girl

2:23

Miss Venezuela
before she won

4:21

The Science of
Animal Tracking

Post a new comment

Login

Post

3 Comments

RSS | Subscribe

Vachaspati Mishra 37 days ago

I sense a miscommunicatio
n through this sentence of this article: "Favored to win is the charismatic
nationalist Narendra Modi, of the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, who would be expected to follow a
Hindu nationalist agenda." The term 'Hindu Nationalist' may be miscontrued as if it is 'Non Secular' - a
card UPA has been playing for long, and that is responsible for polarisation. I wish James Tapper, the
author of this article could understand it. It send doubts in my my if he should be considered as any
authority on Inida, like we accepted that BBC correspondent Mark Tully..
Reply

Maheswar Deka 43 days ago

If the outgoing central government was inefficient and corrupt,then, the general public are also lazy,
pleasure loving,patrioti
c and corrupt.Both the government and the general people love to make easy
money and hate work culture.Next comes the communal feelings among the people.Communal harmony
is hard to see..one community does not see another community friendly.So, India needs an efficient and
honest Prime Minister who can perform and bring harmony to the quarrelling communities.For it,
economic agenda will be needed and strict laws are needed to maintain proper law and order situations.
Reply

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/asia-pacific/india/140325/reasons-india-elections-matter-world

5/6

5/14/2014

8 reasons why Indias elections really matter to the world | GlobalPost

John Dahodi 44 days ago
The most important caution behind N. Modi's victory with sizable majority in India should be his ideology
and way of governing. He is like a soft fascist leader, who can use democracy and mob gathering using
his speech giving false progress reports and using his iron will to fulfill his Hindu Nationalists agendas
taking full support of his fascist Hindu communal organization. If he succeed in his thirst, he will create
great social havoc in one of the largest populated country on the earth, which may keep behind any other
past Holocaust miles away. Hope, he may use any means to come in power but use his cool head and
the Constitution to give him direction towards national unity and peaceful co-existence between 800
million majority and 200 million strong minority.
Reply

WORLD NEWS HOME

EVERYDAY LIFE

WIRES

PHOTOS

ARCHIVES

SYNDICATION

ADVERTISING

SITE MAP

CONTACT

TERMS

CHATTER

Copyright 2014 GlobalPost International News

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/asia-pacific/india/140325/reasons-india-elections-matter-world

6/6