Coinciding with President Bush's recent trip to India, Newsweek had a cover issue on India. This article in particular is worth a read and contrasts India with China on a number of fronts.
"The country (India) might have several Silicon Valleys, but it also has three Nigerias within it, more than 300 million people living on less than a dollar a day."
"Many Western businessmen go to India expecting it to be the next China. But it never will be that. China's growth is a product of its efficient, all-powerful government. Beijing decides the country needs new airports, eight-lane highways, gleaming industrial parks—and they are built within months."
"India's growth is messy, chaotic and largely unplanned. It is not top-down but bottom-up. It is happening not because of the government, but largely despite it."
""The government sleeps at night and the economy grows....."
Wait till the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Indian politicians will be green with envy. May be that is the kick in the behind they need to help the Indian businessman, not just bask in the current world attention on the country.
On the other hand the Chinese leadership may snicker about the Indian government's inability to control the loud protests which greeted Bush on his trip to India. But even they have to acknowledge the chaotic country has produced world class private companies like Infosys and Ranbaxy - not just state run enterprises.
And both may snicker about the US as an aging giant. But both have a long, long way to go to get our balance of economic AND political democracy.
PS - Check out Jason Busch's posts from China - very nice coverage from around the country.
