Important Information

Economy

• India's economy especially during the time they were under the British Commonwealth was based on cotton and the textile industry, which flourished under the extensive network of trains in the nation. Today India's largest crops include rice, wheat, sugarcane, tea, cotton, cashews, cotton and spices. Livestock are also important to India's economy for a variety of reasons. India's primary sectors for production are in industry and agriculture.
• India's monetary unit is the Rupee, 35 Rupee equals about $1.
• India's GDP per capita is about $440
• GNP equals out to be about $441.8 billion and GDP is at about $447.3 billion
• Poverty levels are about 35% with 28% of the population living in urban areas.
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Geography

• India's total area equals 3,165,596 sq km.
• The capital city is New Delhi and the largest city is Bombay on the Arabian Sea.

Population

• India's population is hard to determine though it ranges at about nearly 1 billion people. OF the popuation nearly 3/4 of the population lives in the rural areas on India.

Language

• In India there are more than 1,600 different languages in the country. Many of these languages are specific to the different castes in India, though the official language of the country is Hindu. Hindi is spoken by nearly 31% of the people

Government

• India's government consists of a president (who basically has very little power) and a council of ministers with a Prime Minister in whom most of the power rests. In India there are 25 states and 7 territories whicvh make up the country.
• Federal republic
• Constitution was established in 1950

History

• 1947- India gains its independence from the British Empire, the country faced a lot of religious turmoil and the problem of forging a nation out of many different princely states.

• 1948: Mahatma Gandhi assassinated and the princely states of India are joined together.

• 1947-1949: The first of many wars with Pakistan over the territory of Kashmir. Spurred by fighting between Muslim and Hindu tribes and resulted in both India and Pakistan bringing troops to the province.

• 1949: UN endorced cease fire that created the Line of Control

• 1950: Indian constitution and the era of British governorship ends in India.

• 1962: War with China over a border in Kashmir. India ultimately loses but does not acknowledge

• 1964: Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru dies

• 1965: War with Pakistan that ends in another cease fire

• 1971: Third Indo-Pakistani war

• 1972: Simla Agreement

• 1974: India becomes the world's sixth nuclear power, explodes nuclear device in Pokhran, Rajasthan

• 1976: India and Pakistan re-establish diplomatorial relations

 

Relations with Pakistan

Tensions remain high between India and Pakistan especially after the mass migrations of Hindus and Muslims to the respective countries set out for them. Also over the province of Kashmir, though "officially" a part of India the Pakistanis refuse to acknowledge the Indian claim.

1948- war between Hindu and Muslim tribes which resulted in both India and Pakistan bringing troops into the province.

1971- War of Liberation with Pakistan. Because of tensions between India and Pakistan

India and Pakistan during the period acknowledged the fact that if it was necessary it would be easy for a nuclear weapon to be constructed fairly quickly, despite this fact neither country really felt threatened enough to make or implement a nuclear weapon.

India's regional policy has always been central to its relationship with Pakistan. Since the partition, as seen in the many wars over Kashmir the relationship between the two countries has not been good.

speach on why India should not sign the NPT

Relations With China

India in general has not had very good relations with the country of Kashmir. It has been at odds with China since the 1950s over the states of Kashmir and Arunchal Pradesh.

In 1962 India and China went to war over a border in Kashmir in northern India. The Chinese advanced more than 150 miles before they finally started to advance. There was not a resolve over the debate over the border and it continued passively for many years between the two countries.

India becomes a nuclear country in 1974 citing threats about the Chinese nuclear situation as their primary reason.

1980- The debate over the border once again starts to heat up as Chinese forces are built upon the Chinese side of the border.

In the past few years India's relationship with China has improved though India still is not too happy about the fact that China has been giving sensitive nuclear information to Pakistan.

Position on Kashmir

India claims Kashmir as part of its own. It was once a big tourist destination for many years before the conflict and is a vital place for economic concerns. Though Kashmir remains predominantly Islam the majority of the people are greatly influenced by Hinduism-India recognizes this fact.

India also says that because of the Instrument of Accession signed in 1947 that Kashmir is an Indian territory. Pakistan nor the rest of the world accept this Instrument, it is also rumored to false.