History
The Indus Valley civilization is one of the oldest in the world and the birthplace of four religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. The Gupta dynasty (from the fourth to the sixth century) ruled during a golden age of Indian science and culture. European powers began arriving in the 16th century and, by the 1800s, Britain was the main political power.
After years of peaceful resistance, India became independent in 1947, but this included a violent split into India and Pakistan. In 1971, after another conflict, East Pakistan broke away to form Bangladesh.
Government
India is a federal parliamentary republic and the world’s most populous democracy. The Hindu- nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been in power since 2014.
Geography
Forming the largest part of the Indian subcontinent, India is the seventh-largest country in the world by area, from the Himalayas in the north to the plateau region of the south. The climate, ranging from tropical to temperate, is characterized by monsoon rains between June and September.
People
India’s population of nearly 1.4 billion is expected to overtake China’s around 2026. Almost 80 per cent of Indians are Hindus; another 14 per cent are Muslims. Of the 22 official languages, Hindi has the most speakers, about 43 per cent of the population. English has semi-official status and is the most important language used in national, political and business communication.
Economy
According to McKinsey Global Institute, India has to increase its rate of employment growth and generate 90 million non-agricultural jobs between 2023 and the 2030s to ensure productivity and economic growth. Currently, just under half the workforce is involved in agriculture, but India’s educated English-speaking population has become a powerhouse of IT and business-outsourcing services. Only the US and China produce more high-value start-ups. Despite the big problems experienced in the pandemic, India is expected to become the world’s fifth-largest economy by 2027.
Sources: The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency; McKinsey Global Institute