India has also undergone a remarkable transformation over the last two decades. Before looking at some specific changes within the country, it will be useful to recount the manner in which the world perceives India today. The first and foremost defining aspect of India today is that it continues to be a democracy notwithstanding the huge diversity and disparity that prevails in the country.
India became independent after the Second World War along with a large number of other countries. The generally accepted wisdom then was that democracy and poverty cannot co-exist together. That democracy and inequitable distribution of wealth don’t go together. This theory was proved right by most countries that started out as democracies after breaking off from the colonial yoke but very soon descended into depths of autocratic or authoritarian rule or military dictatorships.