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It is already becoming clear that a chapter which had a Western beginning will have to have an Indian ending if it is not to end in the self-destruction of the human race. At this supremely dangerous moment in history, the only way of salvation for mankind is the Indian way.
- Dr Arnold Toynbee, British Historian
In a few weeks from now, we shall be celebrating our sixty-fifth Independence Day, which for an ancient country such as ours may not seem long, but for a forward-looking state the period is long enough to make an assessment of its achievements and shortcomings. It is also apt that we take a careful stock of where we stand today in the community of nations and what kind of future we can plausibly expect as the twenty-first century unfolds.
As every school-going child in India knows, with the world's seventhlargest landmass, second-largest population, third-largest army and the fourth-largest economy in PPP terms, our country already stands as a leader among nations. But what strikes people across the globe most is that despite its incredible diversity of race, religion, language, etc. and the immense challenges posed by the poverty and illiteracy of a large segment of its population, India has been a remarkable example of a country seeking to resolve the multifarious and complex issues before it through an active and participatory democratic process. Fifteen general elections and innumerable state- and local-level elections later, our credentials as the world's largest democracy are universally recognized. I have often heard my foreign interlocutors speaking in awe of India's general elections being the biggest organized human exercises in history.
In his address to our Parliament on 8 November 2010, the US President, Barack Obama, paid India a great tribute: "It's no coincidence that India is my first stop on my visit to Asia, or that this has been my longest visit to another country after becoming President. For in Asia and around the world, India is not simply emerging, India has emerged." Of course, as an honoured guest of the Government of India, President Obama was being somewhat overgenerous with his compliments, but there is no reason to doubt the sincerity of the admiration that India often excites in foreign observers....