Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the president
Political parties and leaders: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), A. B.
VAJPAYEE; Congress (I) Party, Sitaram KESRI, president; Janata Dal
Party, Laloo Prasad YADAV; Janata Dal (Ajit), Ajit SINGH; Communist
Party of India/Marxist (CPI/M), Harkishan Singh SURJEET; Tamil Maanila
Congress, G. K. MOOPANAR; Dravida Munnetra Kazagham (a regional party
in Tamil Nadu), M. KARUNANIDHI; Samajwadi Party (SP), Mulayam Singh
YADAV (president), Om Prakash CHAUTALA, Devi LAL; Telugu Desam (Naidu)
(a regional party in Andhra Pradesh), Chandrababu NAIDU; Communist
Party of India (CPI), Indrajit GUPTA; Revolutionary Socialist Party
(RSP), Tridip CHOWDHURY; Asom Gana Parishad, Prafulla Kumar MAHANTA;
Congress (Tiwari), Arjun SINGH and N.D. TIWARI; All India Forward Bloc
(AIFB), Prem Dutta PALIWAL (chairman), Chitta BASU (general
secretary); Muslim League, G. M. BANATWALA; Madhya Pradesh Vikas
Congress, Madhavro SCINDIA; Karnataka Congress Party, S. BANGARAPPA;
Shiv Sena, Bal THACKERAY; Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Kanshi RAM;
Communist Party of India/Marxist-Leninist (CPI/ML), Vinod MISHRA;
Akali Dal factions representing Sikh religious community in the
Punjab; National Conference (NC; a regional party in Jammu and
Kashmir), Farooq ABDULLAH; Bihar Peoples Party, Lovely ANAND; Samata
Party (formerly Janata Dal members), George FERNANDES; Indian National
League, Suliaman SAIT; Kerala Congress (Mani faction), K. M. MANI
note: subsequent to the election, the following parties were dissolved
- Congress (Tiwari), Madhya Pradesh Vikas Congress, and Karnataka
Congress Party
Political pressure groups and leaders: various separatist groups seeking greater communal and/or regional autonomy; numerous religious or militant/chauvinistic organizations, including Adam Sena, Ananda Marg, Vishwa Hindu Parishad, and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
International organization participation: AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB,
BIS (pending member), C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G- 6, G-15, G-19, G-24,
G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO,
ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), PCA, SAARC, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMIH, UNOMIL, UNU, UPU, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission : Ambassador Naresh CHANDRA chancery: 2107 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; note - Embassy located at 2536 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-7000 FAX: [1] (202) 483-3972 consulate(s) general : Chicago, Houston, New York, and San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Frank G. WISNER embassy: Shanti Path, Chanakyapuri 110021, New Delhi mailing address: use embassy street address telephone : [91] (11) 600651 FAX: [91] (11) 6872028 consulate(s) general: Bombay, Calcutta, Chennai (Madras), Mumbai
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and green with a blue chakra (24-spoked wheel) centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Niger, which has a small orange disk centered in the white band
Economy
Economy - overview: India's economy is a mixture of traditional village farming, modern agriculture, handicrafts, a wide range of modern industries, and a multitude of support services. A large share of the population, perhaps as much as 40%, remains too poor to afford an adequate diet. The policy in the 1980s of fueling economic growth through high government expenditure proved unsustainable, however, and in the wake of an international payments crisis in 1991 India has been transforming its semi-socialist, insular economy into a more open, market-oriented economy. Production, trade, and investment reforms since 1991 have provided new opportunities for Indian businesspersons and an estimated 200 million plus middle class consumers. New Delhi has stimulated exports, attracted foreign investment, and revived confidence in India's economic prospects. GDP growth exceeded 6% in 1995 and in 1996. Most of the country's external fundamentals - including the current account balance and reserves (now about $19 billion) - are healthy. Even so, the Indian Government needs to restore the early momentum of reform, especially by continuing reductions in the extensive remaining government regulations. The government will also have to deal with rising government expenditures and higher debt servicing which could create a debt trap by the turn of the century. Even if a series of weak coalition governments come to power in the next few years and are unable to push reforms aggressively, parts of the economy that have already benefited from deregulation will continue to grow. Moreover, the country can build on other strengths, including its diverse industrial base, large scientific and technical pool, its well-developed legal system, and its large middle class.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.538 trillion (1996 est.)