Assignment 1

What is India’s governmental system?
India’s governmental system is a democratic federal republic - a state in which the powers of the central government are restricted and in which the states retain a degree of self-government; ultimate sovereign power rests with the voters who chose their governmental representatives.

What are five important events in India’s history since 1914?
1. 1920, Indian leader Mohandas Gandhi leads mass movement to campaign against British colonial rule
2. War with China in 1962
3. Wars with Pakistan in 1947, 1965, 1971, 1999
4. India gains independence in August 15, 1947 from the United Kingdom
5. Creation of constitution on January 26, 1950

What is India’s economic system?
India’s economic system is capitalism.

What are India’s five largest trading partners?
1. United States
2. United Kingdom
3. Belgium
4. Germany
5. Japan

What is the monetary size of India’s domestic and foreign debt?
India’s domestic debt is 163.8 and its foreign debt is 163.8 billion dollars.

What country does India owe the most money to?
India owes the most money to the United States.

What is the numerical size of India’s standing and reserve armed forces?
India numerical size of armed forces is 2,414,700.

Are you a nuclear power?
Yes (weapon testing in 1998).

What are India’s most important cultural values?
1. Emphasis of non-violence of Mohandas Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru
2. Cultural tolerance
3. Cultural plurism (Keeping some tradition but bringing tradition from other places as well)

To what extent, if any, does India control media and culture?
India’s does not control media because we believe in freedom of speech—we are a democracy after all. It is the same circumstance with culture. India does not oppress our people with forced religion or tradition. These two aspects remain separated from the government. In addition, there is great support in India of the movie industry, and Bollywood.

What are India’s most important resources?
1. Coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world)
2. Iron ore
3. Manganese
4. Mica
5. Bauxite
6. Titanium ore
7. Chromite
8. Natural gas
9. Diamonds
10. Petroleum
11. Limestone
12. Arable land

What important resources is India lacking?
1. Crude oil
2. Machinery
3. Gems
4. Fertilizer
5. Chemicals

What is India’s population?
India’s population is 1,166,079,217.

What is India’s main religion? What percentage of people is of this religion?
While India does not have a state religion, the majority religion, 80.5%, is Hindu.

What are India’s other religions that play an important role in your country?
1. Islam 13.4%
2. Christianity 2.3%
3. Sikhism 1.9%

What is India’s policy towards religion and state?
India is a secular state; therefore religion is in no way connected with the state.