About the Book

India is one of the world’s oldest civilisations, the birthplace of four major world religions and the origin of many of the ideas, philosophies and movements that have shaped the destiny of mankind.

In the twenty-first century, India is the largest democracy in the world, and is experiencing economic development matched only by its booming population.

It is only a matter of time before India becomes a world superpower.

Exploring the changing face of contemporary India, this revealing guide examines the nation in all its guises - as a liberal democracy where politics is shaped by highly conservative religious ideas, and as a global hub for technology and research, which is also home to 40 per cent of the world’s malnourished children. Getting to the heart of the country’s contradictions, this is an absorbing introduction to one of the most rapidly-developing countries in the world and reveals a future in which India will affect us all.