The Exercise of State Power 153For CritiCal analy sis- How do India’s domestic issues prevent it
from increasing influence in global affairs? - If you were an Indian leader in the private
economic sector, what recommendations
would you make to government authori-
ties to advance the interests of India
internationally? - Is the concept of a “rising power” useful in
the study of international relations?
India’s globally competitive information technology and computer sector attracts people from all over the
world to Bangalore, which hosts annual computing trade fairs and hackathons.Despite its economic and technological
growth, India faces major domestic challenges.
Despite the high growth rates, it has the
world’s largest number of poor people—7 out
of 10 house holds in the rural areas live on less
than $4 a day. Although the urban communities
are growing, still almost 70 percent lives in the
rural areas, where social investments are defi-
cient: public schools are of poor quality; infra-
structure is inadequate; and access to clean
water, electricity, all- weather roads, and basic
sanitation is lacking. Thirty percent of the pop-
ulation lives below the poverty line. The gov-
ernment cannot deliver even basic ser vices.
So can this “rising power” be a great
power? India is a nuclear power and has been
since 1974. India seeks membership on the UN
Security Council— often seen as a symbol of
becoming a great power. The globalization
of Indian business completely overshadows
the international ventures of the govern-
ment. The state, with its strong military and
police, surviving many challenges including
terrorism and ethnonationalist movements,
but with its difficult domestic economic agenda,
is limited by its capacity to take on its share of
global responsibilities.