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INDIA |
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The
Republic of India is a country that occupies the
greater part of the Indian subcontinent. It has a
coastline of over seven thousand kilometers (4349 miles)
, borders Pakistan to the west, the People's Republic of
China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the north, and Bangladesh
and Myanmar to the east. In the Indian Ocean, it is
adjacent to the island nation of Sri Lanka. India is the
seventh-largest country by geographical area and has one
of the most diverse populations of wildlife,
geographical terrain and climate systems found anywhere
in the world.
The name
India is derived from the Old
Persian version of Sindhu, the historic local
appellation for the River Indus. The Constitution of India and common usage also recognise Bharat (Hindi:
भारत
), as an official name of equal status. Home to one of
the four major ancient civilisations, a center of
important trade routes and vast empires of the Mauryas,
Guptas and the Mughals, India has long played a
significant role in human history. Four religions,
Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism–all have their
origins in India, and Islam and Christianity enjoy a
strong cultural heritage.
With
over one billion people, it is the second most populous
country in the world and the world's largest liberal
democracy. India has 28 states and 7 territories, and
recognizes 22 official languages spoken across its
diverse regions, including the official national
language, Hindi, and English, which is widely spoken.
After decades of intensive efforts to combat the
widespread poverty, illiteracy and poor living
conditions across the country, India's economy is today
the fourth-largest in the world in terms of purchasing
power parity (PPP) and the tenth-largest in nominal
terms. Once reliant heavily on agriculture, India's
economy is one of the fastest-growing in the world, and
the nation is home to modern businesses and
high-technology industries. India became a declared
nuclear weapons state in 1974. |
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Motto: "Satyameva
Jayate" Sanskrit: सत्यमेव जयते
("Truth Alone Triumphs") |
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Anthem: "Jana Gana Mana"
Listen |
| Capital |
New Delhi 28°34′N 77°12′E |
| Largest city |
Mumbai (Bombay) |
| Official language(s) |
Hindi, English, and 21 other languages |
|
Government
President
Prime Minister
|
Federal
republic
APJ Abdul Kalam
Manmohan Singh |
Independence
Declared
Republic |
From the
United Kingdom
15th August 1947
26th January 1950 |
Area
Total
Water (%) |
3,287,590 km² (7th)
1,269,346 sq mi
9.56 |
Population
2006 est.
2001 census
Density |
1,108,272,131 (2nd)
1,027,015,247
329/km² (19th)
852/sq mi |
GDP (PPP)
Total
Per capita |
2005 estimate
$3.678 trillion (4th)
$3400 (125th) |
|
HDI (2003) |
0.602 (127th) – medium |
| Currency |
Rupee (Rs.)(INR)
Re. is singular |
| Time zone |
IST (UTC+5:30) |
| Internet TLD |
.in |
| Calling code |
+91 |
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Indian
Government
Top of page |
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The Government of India
(Hindi: Bharat Sarkar), officially referred to as the
Union Government, and commonly as Central Government,
was established by the Constitution of India, and is the
governing authority of a federal union of 28 states and
7 union territories, collectively called Republic of
India. The basic civil and criminal laws governing the
citizens of India are set down in major parliamentary
legislation, such as the India Code. The federal (union)
and individual state governments consist of executive,
legislative and judicial branches. The legal system as
applicable to the federal and individual state
governments is based on the English Common and Statutory
Law. India accepts compulsory International Court of
Justice jurisdiction with several reservations. |
| Flag |
Tiranga |
| Emblem |
Sarnath
Lion |
| Anthem |
"Jana Gana Mana" |
| Song |
"Vandē
Mātaram" |
| Animal |
Royal
Bengal Tiger |
| Bird |
Indian
Peacock |
| Flower |
Lotus |
| Tree |
Banyan |
| Fruit |
Mango |
| Sport |
Field
Hockey |
| Calendar |
Saka |
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National Flag code |
National Emblem |
National Flower |
National Bird |
National Animal
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Tiranga |
Sarnath Lion |
Lotus |
Peacock |
Tiger |
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Judicial branch
India's independent judicial system began under the British, and
its concepts and procedures resemble those of Anglo-Saxon
countries. The Supreme Court of India consists of a Chief
Justice and 25 associate justices, all appointed by the
President on the advice of the Chief Justice of India. In the
1960s, India moved away from using juries for most trials,
finding them to be corrupt and ineffective, instead almost all
trials are conducted by judges.
Unlike its US counterpart, the Indian justice system consists of
a unitary system at both state and federal level. The judiciary
consists of the Supreme Court of India, High Courts at the state
level, and District and Session Courts at the district level.
Type of Government
The Preamble lays
down the type of government that India has adopted - Sovereign,
Socialist, Secular, Democratic, Republic.
Sovereign
The word sovereign means supreme or independent. India is
internally and externally sovereign - externally free from the
control of any foreign power and internally, it has a free
government which is directly elected by the people, which makes
laws which governs the people.
Socialist
The word socialist was added to the Preamble by the 42nd
Amendment Act of 1976. It implies social and economic equality
for all its citizens. There will be no discrimination on the
basis of caste, colour, creed, sex, religion, language etc.
Everybody will be given equal status and opportunities. The
government will make efforts to reduce the concentration of
wealth in a few hands, and provide a decent standard of living
to all.
India has adopted a mixed economic model, and the government has
framed many laws to achieve the goal of socialism, such as
Abolition of Untouchability and Zamindari Act, Equal Wages Act
and Child Labour Prohibition Act.
Secular
The word secular was inserted into the Preamble by the 42nd
Amendment Act of 1976. It implies equality of all religions and
religious tolerance. India does not have any official state
religion. Every person has the right to preach, practise and
propagate any religion of their own choice. The government does
not favour or discriminate any religion. It treats all religions
with equal respect. All citizens, irrespective of their
religious beliefs are equal in the eyes of law. No religious
instruction is imparted in government or government - aided
schools. Contrary to this, India made laws based on religion and
sub-religion(caste).
Democratic
India is a democratic country. People of India elect their
governments at all levels (central, state and local) by a method
of universal adult franchise. Every citizen of India, who is 18
years of age and above and who is not otherwise debarred by law,
is entitled to vote. Every citizen enjoys this right without any
discrimination on the basis of caste, creed, colour, sex,
religion or education.
Republic
As opposed to a monarchy, in which the head of state is
appointed on hereditary basis for a lifetime, or till he
abdicates, a republic is a state in which the head of state is
elected, directly or indirectly, for a fixed tenure. The
President of India is elected by an electoral college for a term
of five years.
Quasi - Federal Government
India has been called as a Union of States. In spite of having a
Federal structure, that is two levels of government, clear
division of powers and an independent judiciary, there is a
strong bias towards making the Central government more powerful.
This is called a Centralized Federation, or a Quasi-Federal
Government, that is partly federal and partly unitary.
Federal Features of the Indian Government
There are two levels of government, that is Central and State
Government. There is clear division of powers stated under the
three lists – Union list, State list and Concurrent list. There
is a written Constitution which is a supreme document, and an
independent and impartial judiciary to interpret the
Constitution and solve conflicts between the Central and State
governments.
Unitary Features of the Indian Government
India has adopted the idea of single citizenship. The Parliament
has vast legislative powers. It can legislate on 97 subjects of
the union list, 47 subjects of the concurrent list and in times
of national and state emergency, can also make laws on the 66
subjects of the state list. If there is a conflict between a
union law and a state law over a subject present in the
Concurrent list, the law made by the Parliament will prevail
over the law made by the state legislatures.
Parliamentary government
India has adopted a parliamentary system of government
borrowed from the United Kingdom. It is based on the fusion of
powers between the executive and the legislature.
Under the Indian system, the Parliament is supreme as it is an
elected body. There is a presence of two executives - the
nominal executive and the real executive. The nominal executive,
is the President of India. He enjoys all the constitutional
powers, but exercises them only on the advice of the real
executive. The real executive, that is the Prime Minister of
India and the Cabinet, enjoy all the real powers and make all
the important policy decisions.
All the members of the Council of Ministers as well as the Prime
Minister have to be members of either house of the Parliament.
If they are not, they must get elected within a period of six
months from the time they assume their respective office. The
Executive, the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers are
responsible to the Lok Sabha, both individually as well as
collectively.
Individual responsibility
Every individual minister is in charge of a specific portfolio
or department. He is responsible for any act of failure in all
the policies relating to his department. In case of any lapse,
he himself is individually responsible to the Parliament. If a
vote of no - confidence is passes against the individual
minister, he has to resign. Individual responsibility can amount
to collective responsibility. Therefore, the Prime Minister, in
order to save his government, can ask for the resignation of
such a minister.
Collective responsibility
The Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers are jointly
accountable to the Lok Sabha. If there is a policy failure or
lapse on the part of the government, all the members of the
council are jointly responsible. If a vote of no - confidence is
passed against the government, then all the ministers headed by
the Prime Minister have to resign.
Welfare State
A welfare state is a state in which the government provides for
a wide range of social services and carries out a large number
of welfare and developmental activities, like providing
education, setting up of hospitals, protection of minorities,
promoting agriculture and protecting the monuments along with
the performance of police functions.
The Directive Principles of State Policy, enshrined in Part IV
of the Indian Constitution reflects that India is a welfare
state. Seats are reserved for scheduled castes and scheduled
tribes in government jobs, educational institutions, Lok Sabha
and Vidhan Sabha. The government has passed a number of laws for
the abolition of untouchability, Begar and Zamindari. The
government has opened fair - priced shops, where certain
essential commodities are sold at very reasonable prices to the
poorer sections of the society.
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Parliament of India |
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The Parliament of India (or Sansad) is bicameral. It is located
in New Delhi at Sansad Marg. This is the supreme legislative
body of the Republic of India. The Indian Parliament consists of
two houses - the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha - and the
President of India. Any bill can become an act only after it is
passed by both the houses of the Parliament and assented by the
President.
Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha is
also known as House of People or the lower
house. Almost all of its members are directly
elected by citizens of India. It is the more
powerful of the two houses since it can precede
or overrule the upper house in many matters. The
Lok Sabha has 552 members as of now. The number
of members in Lok Sabha is regulated by Article
81 of the Constitution of India. It has a term
of 5 years (it may be dissolved earlier by the
President in the event of no party getting a
majority). 550 members are directly elected by
the people in a general election:
- 530 members
are elected from the States.
- 20 members
are elected from the Union territories.
- 2 members of
the Anglo-Indian community are nominated by
the President if he is of the opinion that
they are not adequately represented.
The
representatives from States and Union
Territories are directly elected by the people
on the basis of universal adult suffrage. Every
citizen who is over 18 years of age is eligible
to vote. There is reservation of some seats for
members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes
but not for members of any other community.
Rajya
Sabha
The Rajya Sabha is also known as
Council of States or the upper
house. Its members are
indirectly elected by members of
legislative bodies of the
states.
The
Rajya Sabha has 250 members in
all. Elections to it are
scheduled and the chamber cannot
be dissolved legally. Each
member has a term of 6 years and
elections are held for one-third
of the seats after every 2
years. The composition is
specified in Article 80 of the
Constitution of India.
-
12 members are nominated by
the President from people
having special knowledge or
experience in literature,
science, art or social
services.
-
Representatives of States
are elected by the elected
members of the Legislative
Assembly of the State in
accordance with system of
proportional representation
by means of single
transferable vote.
-
Representatives of Union
Territories are indirectly
elected by members of an
electoral college for that
territory in accordance with
system of proportional
representation.
The Council of States is
designed to maintain the federal
character of the country. The
number of members from a state
depends on the population of the
state (e.g. 31 from Uttar
Pradesh and 1 from Nagaland).
Houses of Parliament
The Houses of Parliament
(Sansad Bhavan) is a
circular structure designed by
the British Architect Edwin
Lutyens in 1911. The roof of the
outer circle of the structure is
supported by 257 granite
pillars. The Houses are located
on Janpath, a stone's throw away
from the presidential palace (Rashtrapati
Bhavan)
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Politics of India |
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According to its constitution, India is a "sovereign socialist
secular democratic republic." India is said to be the largest
nation on Earth with a democratically-elected government. Like
the United States, India has a federal form of government.
However, the central government in India has greater power in
relation to its states, and its central government is patterned
after the British parliamentary system. Regarding the former,
"the Centre", the national government, can and has dismissed
state governments if no majority party or coalition is able to
form a government or under specific Constitutional clauses, and
can impose direct federal rule known as President's rule.
The government exercises its broad administrative powers in the
name of the President, whose duties are largely ceremonial. The
president and vice president are elected indirectly for 5-year
terms by a special electoral college. The vice president assumes
the office of president in case of the death or resignation of
the incumbent president.
Real national executive power is centered in the Council of
Ministers (cabinet), led by the Prime Minister of India. The
President appoints the Prime Minister, who is designated by
legislators of the political party or coalition commanding a
parliamentary majority. The President then appoints subordinate
ministers on the advice of the Prime Minister. (In reality, the
President has no discretion on the question of whom to appoint
as Prime Minister except when no political party or coalition of
parties gains a majority in the Lok Sabha. Once the Prime
Minister has been appointed, the President has no discretion on
any other matter whatsoever, including the appointment of
ministers. But all Central Government decisions are nominally
taken in his name. This point should be kept in mind when
reading about "decisions by the President", including such
statements in this article)
India's bicameral parliament (also known as the Sansad) consists
of the Rajya Sabha (Council of States) and the Lok Sabha (House
of the People). The Council of Ministers is responsible to the
Lok Sabha.
The legislatures of the states and union territories elect 238
members to the Rajya Sabha, and the president appoints another
12, who are experts in science or the arts. The elected members
of the Rajya Sabha serve 6-year terms, with one-third up for
election every 2 years. The Lok Sabha consists of 545 members;
543 are directly elected, while the other two are appointed by
the President from among the Anglo-Indian community. The term of
the Lok Sabha is five years.
India has 28 states and 7 union territories. States have their
own elected governments, whereas Union Territories are governed
by an administrator appointed by the union (federal) government.
Some of the state legislatures are bicameral, patterned after
the two houses of the national parliament. The states' chief
ministers are responsible to the legislatures in the same way
the prime minister is responsible to parliament.
Each state also has a presidentially appointed governor who may
assume certain broad powers when directed by the central
government. The central government exerts greater control over
the union territories than over the states, although some
territories have gained more power to administer their own
affairs. Local governments in India have less autonomy than
their counterparts in the United States. Some states are trying
to revitalize the traditional village councils, or panchayat
systems, which aim to promote popular democratic participation
at the village level, where much of the population still lives.
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Geography
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The territory of India constitutes a major portion of the Indian
subcontinent, situated on the Indian Plate, the northerly portion of the
Indo-Australian Plate, in southern Asia. India's northern and
northeastern states are partially situated in the Himalayan Mountain
Range. The rest of northern, central and eastern India consists of the
fertile Indo-Gangetic plain. In the west, bordering southeast Pakistan,
lies the Thar Desert. The southern Indian Peninsula is almost entirely
composed of the Deccan plateau, which is flanked by two hilly coastal
ranges, the Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats.
India is home to several major rivers, including the Ganga, Brahmaputra,
Yamuna, Godavari, Kaveri, Narmada, and Krishna. India has three
archipelagos – Lakshadweep off the southwest coast, the Andaman and
Nicobar Islands volcanic island chain to the southeast, and the
Sunderbans in the Gangetic delta in West Bengal.
Climate in India varies from tropical in the south to more temperate in
the north, with elevated regions in the north receiving sustained
snowfall. India's climate is strongly influenced by the Himalayas and
the Thar Desert. The Himalayas, along with the Hindu Kush mountains in
Pakistan, provide a barrier to the cold winds from Central Asia. This
keeps most of the Indian subcontinent warmer than most locations in
similar latitudes. The Thar Desert is responsible for attracting the
moisture laden southwest monsoon winds in that provide most of India's
rainfall between June to September.
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History
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Stone Age rock shelters with paintings at Bhimbetka in Madhya Pradesh
are the earliest known traces of human life in present-day India. The
first known permanent settlements appeared over 9,000 years ago, and
gradually developed into the Indus Valley Civilisation, which began
around 3300 BCE and peaked between 2600 BCE and 1900 BCE. Cities of this
culture exhibit advanced urban features and scientific accomplishments
such as superior civil drainage systems and the world's earliest dock at
Lothal. It was followed by the Vedic Civilisation, introduced by the
Indo-Aryan peoples which laid the ancient foundations of Hinduism and
other cultural aspects. In Vedic classical texts and Hindu mythology,
the land is referred to as Bharatavarsha. From around 550 BCE, many
independent kingdoms known as the Mahajanapadas spread across the
country. The country was witnessing a complex religious culture, with
the birth of Jainism and Buddhism. Ancient universities arose in Taxshila,
Nalanda, Pataliputra and Ujjain.
The empire built by the Maurya dynasty under Emperor Ashoka united most
of modern South Asia. From 180 BCE, a series of invasions from Central
Asia followed including the Indo-Greeks, Indo-Scythians, Indo-Parthians
and Kushans in the northwestern Indian Subcontinent. From the third
century BCE, the Gupta dynasty oversaw the period referred to as ancient
India's "Golden Age." In the south, several dynasties, including the
Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, Cheras, Cholas, Pallavas and Pandyas prevailed
during different periods. Science, engineering, art, literature,
mathematics, astronomy, religion and philosophy flourished under the
patronage of these kings.
The Sanchi stupa in Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh built by emperor Ashoka in
the 3rd century BC. Following the invasions from Central Asia, between the
tenth to the twelfth centuries, much of north India came under the rule
of the Delhi Sultanate, and later the Mughal dynasty, who gradually
expanded their reign throughout the Indian subcontinent. Nevertheless,
several indigenous kingdoms flourished, especially in the south, like
the Vijayanagara Empire. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries,
several European countries, including Portugal, Netherlands, France and
the United Kingdom, initially arrived as traders, later took advantage
of the fractious nature of relations between the kingdoms, to establish
colonies in the country. By 1856, most of India came under control of
the British East India Company, with the capital at Calcutta. A year
later, a nationwide insurrection of rebelling military units and
kingdoms, known locally as the First War of Indian Independence known as
the Sepoy Mutiny In British Texts broke out, which failed even as it
seriously challenged British rule. India thus came under the direct
control of the British Empire.
Mahatma Gandhi is also known as the Father of the Nation in India.In the
early twentieth century, a nationwide struggle for independence was
launched by the Indian National Congress, led by Indians such as Bal
Gangadhar Tilak ,Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Jawaharlal
Nehru. Millions of protestors would engage in mass campaigns of civil
disobedience with a commitment to ahimsa - total non-violence - that was
largely kept. Gandhi would lead Indians in the Dandi Salt March to defy
the salt tax, and an all-out revolt in 1942 demanding that the British
Quit India. India gained its independence on August 15th, 1947 - 565
princely states united with British-era provinces to form a united
nation, but not before the Muslim-majority provinces were partitioned as
a result of the separatist campaign led by the Muslim League to form
Pakistan. Since independence, India has seen sectarian violence and
insurgencies in various parts of the country, but has maintained its
unity and democracy. It has unresolved border disputes with China, which
escalated into the brief Sino-Indian War in 1962; and with Pakistan,
which resulted in wars in 1947, 1965, 1971 and in 1999 in Kargil. India
is a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement and the United Nations.
In 1974, India conducted an underground nuclear test, making it an
unofficial member of the "nuclear club". This was followed by a series
of five more tests in 1998. Significant economic reforms beginning in
1991 have transformed India into one of the fastest-growing economies in
the world, and added to its global and regional clout.
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Culture
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India has a rich and unique cultural
heritage, and has managed to preserve its established traditions
throughout history whilst absorbing customs, traditions and ideas from
both invaders and immigrants. Many cultural practices, languages,
customs and monuments are examples of this co-mingling over centuries.
Famous monuments, such as the Taj Mahal
and other examples of Islamic-inspired architecture have been inherited
from the Mughal dynasty. These are the result of a syncretic tradition
that combined elements from all parts of the country.
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Tajmahal |
Tajmahal |
Akshardham |
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Indian music is represented in a wide variety of forms. The two main
forms of classical music are Carnatic from South India, and Hindustani
from North India. Popular forms of music also prevail, the most notable
being Filmi music. In addition to this are the diverse traditions of
folk music from different parts of the country. Many classical dance
forms exist, including the Bharatanatyam, Kathakali, Kathak and
Manipuri. They often have a narrative form and are usually infused with
devotional and spiritual elements. The earliest literary traditions in
India were mostly oral, and were later transcribed. Most of these are
represented by sacred works like the Vedas and the epics of the
Mahabharata and Ramayana. Sangam literature from Tamil Nadu represents
some of India's oldest traditions. There have been many notable modern
Indian writers, both in Indian languages and in English. India's only
Nobel laureate in literature was the Bengali writer Rabindranath Tagore.
India produces the world's largest number of films every year. The most
recognizable face is that of cinema production based in Mumbai, which
produces mainly commercial Hindi films, often referred to as
"Bollywood". There are also strong cinema industries based on the
Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Bengali languages. Religious
practices of various faiths are an integral part of everyday life in
society. Education is highly regarded by members of every socio-economic
stratum. Traditional Indian family values are highly respected, and
considered sacred, although urban families have grown to prefer a
nuclear family system, owing to the socio-economic constraints imposed
by the traditional joint family system. Religion in India is a very
public affair, with many practices imbued with pomp and vitality
accompanying their underlying spiritual qualities.
The cuisine of India is extremely diverse, as ingredients, spices and
cooking methods vary from region to region. Rice and wheat are the
staple foods in the country. The country is notable for its wide variety
of vegetarian and non-vegetarian cuisine. Spicy food and sweets are
popular in India. Traditional dress in India greatly varies across the
regions in its colors and styles, and depend on various factors,
including climate. Popular styles of dress include the traditional sari
for women and the traditional dhoti for men.
India's national sport is field hockey, although cricket is now the de
facto national game. In some states, particularly in the northeast,
football (soccer) is the most popular sport and is widely watched. In
recent times, tennis has gained popularity in India with the rise of
players such as Leander Paes and Sania Mirza. India is also represented
in chess, with international-level players such as Vishwanathan Anand.
Traditional indigenous sports include kabaddi and gilli-danda, which are
played in most parts of the country.
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Economy
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The economy of India is the fourth-largest in the world as measured by
purchasing power parity (PPP), with a GDP of US $3.36 trillion. When
measured in USD exchange-rate terms, it is the tenth largest in the
world, with a GDP of US $691.87 billion. India was the second fastest
growing major economy in the world, with a GDP growth rate of 8.1% at
the end of the first quarter of 2005–2006. However, India's huge
population results in a relatively low per capita income of $3,400 at
PPP and is classified as a developing nation.
For most of its independent history India has adhered to a
socialist-inspired approach, with strict government control over private
sector participation, foreign trade, and foreign direct investment.
Since the early 1990s, India has gradually opened up its markets through
economic reforms by reducing government controls on foreign trade and
investment. Privatization of public-owned industries and opening up of
certain sectors to private and foreign players has proceeded slowly amid
political debate.
India has a labors force of 496.4 million of which agriculture
constitutes 60%, industry 17%, and services 23%. India's agricultural
produce include rice, wheat, oilseed, cotton, jute, tea, sugarcane,
potatoes; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats, poultry and fish. Major
industries include textiles, chemicals, food processing, steel,
transportation equipment, cement, mining, petroleum and machinery.[4]
In recent times, India has also capitalized on its large number of
highly educated people who are fluent in the English language to become
an important location for global companies outsourcing customer service
and technical support call centers. It is also a major exporter of
skilled workers in software services, financial services, and software
engineers. India's most important trading partners are the United
States, the European Union, Japan, the People's Republic of China, and
the United Arab Emirates.
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Economic Fact File |
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Currency |
1 Indian Rupee (INR)
(₨) = 100 Paise |
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Fiscal year |
April 1—March 31 |
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Current fiscal year |
(2005—2006) |
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Current Five-Year Plan |
10th (2002—2007) |
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Central bank |
Reserve Bank of
India (RBI) |
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Trade organizations and treaties |
SAFTA,
ASEAN, WIPO and WTO |
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Union budget |
$67.3 billion
(revenue)
$104 billion (expenditure) |
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Inflation rate (monthly) |
3.53% (September) |
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People |
Prime Minister
(Chairman of the Planning Commission) |
Manmohan
Singh |
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Finance Minister |
P. Chidambaram |
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Commerce Minister |
Kamal
Nath |
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RBI Governor |
Y. Venugopal Reddy |
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SEBI
Chairman |
M. Damodaran |
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Indices |
|
Corruption Perceptions Index |
88th (2005) |
|
Index of Economic Freedom |
118th (mostly
unfree) (2005) |
|
UN Human Development Index |
127th (2005) |
|
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) |
|
Real GDP (at PPP) |
$3.678 trillion
(4th) (2005) |
|
Nominal GDP (at current exchange
rates) |
$735.6 billion
(10th) (2004) |
|
Real GDP growth rate (at PPP) |
7.1% (32nd) (2005) |
|
GDP growth rate |
8.1% (March-May,
2005) |
|
GDP per capita |
$3,400 (155th) |
|
GDP by sector |
agriculture
(21.8%), industry (26.1%), services (52.2%) |
|
Demographics |
|
Population below poverty line |
25% (2002 est.) |
|
Labour
force |
482.2 million |
|
Labour
force by occupation (1999) |
agriculture (57%),
industry (17%), services (23%) (2005-06) |
|
Unemployment rate |
7.32% (1999-2000) |
|
Production |
|
Agricultural products |
rice, wheat,
oilseed, cotton, jute, tea, sugarcane, potatoes; cattle, water
buffalo, sheep, goats, poultry, fish |
|
Main industries |
textiles,
chemicals, food processing, steel, transport equipment, cement,
mining, petroleum, machinery, software |
|
External trade |
|
Imports (2003) |
$89.33 billion
f.o.b (25th) |
|
Major imported commodities |
crude oil,
machiknery, gems, fertilizer, chemicals |
|
Main import partners |
USA 7.0%, Belgium
6.1%, China 5.9%, Singapore 4.8%, UK 4.6%, Australia 4.6%,
Germany 4.5% (2004) |
|
Exports |
$69.18 billion
f.o.b (35th) |
|
Major exported commodities |
textile goods, gems
and jewellery, engineering goods, chemicals, leather
manufactures, IT, ITES |
|
Main export partners (2003) |
USA 18.4%, China
7.8%, UAE 6.7%, UK 4.8%, Hong Kong 4.3%, Germany 4.0% |
|
Overall balance of payments (2003) |
$31,421 |
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