Economic, Political and Social Issues of India

Book excerpt: India is one of the oldest civilizations in the world with a rich cultural heritage. It has achieved multi-faceted socio-economic progress since Independence in 1947. The country has witnessed rapid socio-economic and political transformation since the onset of liberalization and openness policies in the early 1990s. However, the development gains have also resulted in various economic, political and social problems and concerns. This volume contains 10 papers which explain and examine at length the emerging external and internal challenges facing the fast-paced transformation of the country. Part I of the volume, consisting of 5 papers, focuses on external issues and challenges facing India. Issues related to globalization, Indian migrant workforce in the Gulf, environmental security, India's partnership with Israel for agricultural development and Indo-China relations have been reviewed and analyzed. Part II of the volume, comprising 5 papers, is devoted to India's internal concerns and challenges. The topics discussed include secularism in India, triple talaq, panchayati raj institutions (PRIs), drug abuse and youth in J&K and dwindling population of the Parsi community.