India - 36.20
127
A neverending post-colonial hangover
Colonial apologists often claim that Britain set India up for success. Upon the once-great empire’s unceremonious exit, India was left in possession of little more than an education system that fails the poor and underprivileged and a decaying railway network. Britain spent the better part of a century working tirelessly to cripple India, and upon the collapse of the British Raj drew the country’s borders with rulers and pencils. Britain’s disregard for ethnic, cultural, and religious differences across an entire subcontinent has resulted in endless communal strife that continues to handicap and cause tension among three of the world’s most populous nations. The India that Britain left behind was woefully unprepared for independence and the borders that Britain had drawn up sparked international rivalries and communal violence. However, India cannot blame all of its failings on Britain’s shameful withdrawal. India is shackled by endemic corruption that hinders corruption. Less than half the country’s 1.4 billion people have access to clean, running water. A heated rivalry with global implications rages on as nuclear powers India and Pakistan continue to squabble over the sparsely-populated region of Jammu and Kashmir. India’s government struggles with informal employment, making it more difficult for the country to collect taxes and enforce minimum wage. Communal violence affects all levels of Indian society, from national politics to the everyday lives of the country’s residents. India’s strong democracy is threatened by a concerning rise in Hindu nationalism and by a government that continues to suppress dissent. Despite a rapidly growing economy, India’s future as a volatile country in a volatile region remains uncertain.
Human Rights - 31
Jammu and Kashmir were stripped of their special status on 4/25/19, meaning that the respective scores of Jammu and Kashmir will affect the overall score of India. India retains the death penalty; the last execution was carried out in 2020. Seven human rights activists were arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), India’s counterterrorism unit. All were arrested for their alleged connections to violence in the 2018 Pune protests. They were accused by the government of “waging war against the country” and having connections to the banned Maoist wing of the Indian Communist Party (CPI-Maoist). The government arrested dozens of people for protesting the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The CAA effectively banned Muslim immigrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan from obtaining citizenship. The government further harassed people suspected of participating in the protests and protestors were subjected to state surveillance. A pending “love jihad” law has been sitting in Uttar Pradesh’s parliament for months that would effectively ban inter-religious marriages. The government used the COVID-19 pandemic to effectively ban all protests, detaining and sometimes beating people for violating COVID lockdowns. Journalists operating in Kashmir are frequently brought into police stations for questioning and often faced arbitrary arrest. The NIA conducted dozens of raids against the private residences of human rights activists, mostly in Kashmir. After Jammu and Kashmir were stripped of their special status several human rights activists were released. The government arrested over fifty journalists during the country’s COVID lockdowns for spreading “misinformation” or “fake news.” The government of Uttar Pradesh lodged complaints against several journalists and news organizations for making “objectionable remarks.” The government filed a complaint against The Wire because two of its reporters attended religious ceremonies in spite of COVID lockdowns. The Modi administration has heightened attacks against journalists and has tightened defamation, sedition, hate speech, and contempt-of-court laws. These laws were frequently used to silence journalists and government critics. The government suddenly froze the assets of Amnesty International India on 9/30/20 and the organization was forced to shut down, lay off its entire staff, and suspend all investigations. Over fifty-three people, mostly Muslims were killed in inter-religious violence in Delhi. The government failed to adequately respond to this violence. Prime Minister Modi was even accused of encouraging violence and discrimination against Muslims. Police brutality is a major issue in India as Indian police act with near impunity. Several killings by police amounted to extrajudicial executions according to Amnesty International. Most reports of police brutality are never investigated by police. Uttar Pradesh police bragged about killing one-hundred-three “criminals” since 2017. Many healthcare facilities allegedly denied service to Muslims. The government accused members of the Tablighi Jamaat Muslim community of purposefully spreading COVID-19 in an act of terrorism. Indian military policy is fairly ambiguous as LGBT Indians are not explicitly banned from nor allowed to serve. If LGBT Indians do serve openly they face large amounts of informal discrimination. India recognizes “limited cohabitation” rights and same-sex marriage is under consideration. Any single person can adopt but there is no joint same-sex adoption in India. Abortion is legal to preserve the physical, mental, and financial health of the couple as well as in cases of rape, incest, or fetal impairment.
Democracy - 78
The largely ceremonial president is chosen by the electoral college and the prime minister, who holds most executive power, is chosen by the Lok Sabha. The electoral college is chosen by state governments, meaning that voters have little influence over the presidential election. The lower house of parliament, the Lok Sabha, is directly elected and holds most legislative power. The upper house of parliament, the Rajya Sabha, is chosen by state legislatures. Elections are free and fair with a strong multi-party system. Communal violence frequently intimidates voters and insurgent groups intimidate voters in certain areas. Political choices are heavily based around ethnic and religious ties. This has resulted in a disturbing rise in Hindu nationalism in the country, which has led to increased religious strife. Ethnic and religious minorities are disenfranchised in many areas.
Freedom - 36
The NIA arrested seven human rights activists for their alleged connections to violent protests in Pune in 2018. Dozens of people were arrested for protesting the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act, which made it virtually impossible for Muslim immigrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan from obtaining citizenship. The government further harassed people suspected of participating in protests and protestors were subjected to state surveillance. The government used the COVID-19 pandemic to effectively ban all protests, detaining and occasionally beating people for violating COVID lockdowns. The government arrested over fifty journalists during COVID lockdowns for spreading “misinformation” or “fake news.” The Modi administration has escalated attacks against journalists, tightening defamation, sedition, hate speech, and contempt-of-court laws that are often used to silence journalists and government critics. The government and agencies hired by the government were known to publish large amounts of misinformation in the runup to elections. Hindus receive large amounts of preferential treatment from the government and Prime Minister Modi has been accused of encouraging attacks against Muslims and religious minorities, especially Muslims, face discrimination in certain areas. Several states criminalize religious conversions as the result of “force” or “allurement.” These laws are used primarily to target converts to Islam and Muslim proselytization. Some states even require government permission to change religions. Educators are often harassed by vigilantes or face termination for stepping out of line. The government is not working hard enough to stop attacks against educators, often leading to self-censorship by teachers and professors. The government is allowed to restrict public gatherings and impose curfews whenever “immediate prevention or speedy remedy” is required. This power is often used by state governments to shut down protests. The Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) places stringent regulations on NGOs and all registered non-profits must limit administrative expenses to 20% of total donations. The act also heavily restricts the ability of NGOs to pass funds amongst themselves. ALl drugs are illegal in India. Gun ownership in India is heavily restricted and gun owners must regularly renew their licenses and show proof of competency. A prohibited-bore license is required to own a semi-automatic rifle and these licenses are very difficult to obtain.
Economy - 31
Health - 26
India has a life expectancy of 70 years and an infant mortality rate of 3.2%. 3.9% of Indians are obese and 15% are malnourished. India’s byzantine and generally mediocre healthcare system leaves most of the country’s rural population without ready access to high-quality healthcare. Health insurance is provided free to those living under the poverty line as well as for free to all through a weak network of public hospitals. 44% of Indians have access to clean, running water. More Indians have access to WiFi in their homes than a toilet. India has major problems with tuberculosis, which is one of the leading causes of death in the country. INdia also has major problems with waterborne bacterial diseases, largely stemming from poor access to clean, running water. 26.8% of adult Indians and notably, 8.5% of Indian children, smoke regularly.
Corruption - 19
Petty corruption is a facet of everyday life in India, and it is nearly impossible to interact with a government agency without being forced to pay a bribe. Judicial verdicts are bought and sold at low levels and courts are subject to political pressure at higher levels. While police corruption varies heavily by region, police extortion is a major issue nationwide. Mumbai police, in particular, have a reputation for corruption. Public services must be bribed into action where they are available in the first place. Building permits are impossible to obtain without bribery. India’s tax administration is more closely regulated than other facets of the bureaucracy and is generally regarded as significantly less corrupt. Interactions with tax officials will generally still result in bribes exchanging hands. Red tape and extortion at India’s borders are quite common. Public contracts are impossible to obtain without corruption. Despite the ubiquity of petty corruption in India and a number of recent corruption scandals, the government has recently been working to crack down on corruption.
Competency - 1
The government is failing to protect its citizens. Significant portions of the population lack access to critical services, especially running water. This has resulted in high rates of disease and a generally poor public health situation in the country. Poverty is very common in India. Corruption is rampant. India had an abysmal COVID response. The spread of COVID was blamed on religious minorities and government officials advocated for the use of traditional cures, rather than modern medicine.
Future - 33
India’s future appears grim. A rising trend of Hindu nationalism and continued inter-religious strife spells uncertainty for the future of Indian politics. India’s Muslim minority faces continued and worsening discrimination. The Indian economy took a major hit in 2020, despite a rapid rate of growth before then. India has seen increased civil unrest after the CAA sparked massive riots in 2019 and 2020.
Actions Abroad - 11
India, Pakistan, and China are currently engaged in a territorial dispute over Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan and China have supportive claims while India claims the entire territory. Conflicts over the territory have frequently escalated to the point of war. India and China have withdrawn troops from the Lake Pangong area, a geologically volatile region where both sides agreed to avoid the use of firearms or explosives. Conflicts using makeshift weapons have killed dozens on both sides. India propped up the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Taliban takeover lost India a crucial regional ally. India resolved its border dispute with Bangladesh in 2015 and relations between the two countries have warmed in recent years but remain tense. India has supported Bhutan against Chinese encroachment. India exerts considerable sway over and provides significant military support to the Maldives. The Maldives are protected by the Indian Coast Guard and Maldivian special forces are trained by the Indian military. India condemned the 2021 Burmese coup d’etat and accepted refugees from Burma. India maintains relations with North Korea and has advocated for Korean reunification. India maintains strong unofficial relations with Taiwan and remains one of Taiwan’s strongest unofficial allies. India receives large amounts of foreign investment from the United States. India possesses an unknown number (believed to be 164) of nuclear weapons and is not party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. India’s illegal nuclear arsenal presents a significant danger to the rest of the world. India received a twenty-point penalty for the possession of illegal nuclear weapons.
13.4% of Indians live below the international poverty line and 21.9% live below the national poverty line. 7.85% of Indians are unemployed. India has a very high economic disparity. India has a minimum wage of $2.80 per day but some 75% of the population is employed in the informal sector, meaning that the minimum wage is rarely enforced but rather negotiated for. India’s fairly mediocre network of public hospitals is concentrated in wealthy neighborhoods of major cities. Public hospitals in rural areas are severely understaffed and face frequent shortages of critical supplies. India also offers free health insurance accepted at private hospitals to those living below the poverty line. The Indian economy shrunk 8% in 2020 and grew 4% in 2019.