Author Bios
David J. Karl
David J. Karl is President of the Asia Strategy Initiative, a Los Angeles based consultancy that provides policy-relevant analysis of geopolitical, diplomatic and macro-economic developments, with particular focus on South Asia. He previously served as director of studies at the Pacific Council on International Policy, in charge of the Council’s think tank focused on foreign policy issues of particular resonance to the U.S West Coast, and was Project Director of the Joint Task Force on Enhancing India-U.S.Cooperation in the Global Innovation Economy. Now that last week’s dust-up over Joseph Lelyveld’s new book on Mahatma Gandhi has subsided, it’s worth taking stock of the lessons learned. India’s demographic profile – particularly its unusually youthful population and large reservoir of skilled professionals – is now regarded as a key element of its ascent to the top rank of world powers. The budget is laced with what will likely prove to be overly roseate expectations. Although large spending increases are slated for educational and social programs, the government is banking that faster economic growth will generate an 18-percent rise in tax revenue In calendar terms, it’s only been a short time. In July 2008, Manmohan Singh courageously placed his premiership on the line and won a dramatic no-confidence vote in the Indian parliament over the U.S.-India civilian nuclear accord. New Delhi is proud of its indigenous development of ballistic missiles, but the reality is that massive investments in this area have yielded little real return and languid state-owned labs continue to dominate the military R&D sector.
|
|
|---|---|
