Changing World Order: India’s Response

Ref jang #29

[How little we know? For example, even Harimaou sometimes has partial info.
bankrupcy does not mean stop of operations, swiss still flies very much, though chennai is thru code-share flights.]

I am aware that Swissair is flying but its continued existence -- to coin a pun -- is still up in the air. The last thing a prudent South Indian wants to do is to buy a ticket on Swissair only to find that the airline has decided to shut down. Particularly when he is aware of people who lost their money on Sabena tickets.

Lufthansa wins Lufthansa vs Swissair out of Chennai on totally different grounds: no need to connect in Bombay.

#23 by tvarad on May 3, 2004 7:03am PT
Agree 100%.

#28 by tvarad

Amazing. You are also an expert on history, antropology and socio-psychology. Hats off.

If Clive could take over Indya with just 800 soldiers, surely a few thousand java coders led by invading hordes from west (of santa clara) can take over at least the kaveri basin.

Take it easy, lets not take ourselves so seriously. We know little, and a lot of things are chaotic accidents. I agree that liberelization is a boon to some sections of the society, and much is yet to be seen. Also, I dont agree software bussiness success has much to do wih lberalization by itself, it succeeded inspite of it mostly.

How little we know? For example, even Harimaou sometimes has partial info.
bankrupcy does not mean stop of operations, swiss still flies very much, though chennai is thru code-share flights.

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Jang,

This kind of desi defence of all things wrong is what I get all the time and my skin is thick enough to take the ribbing. Such a response is quite natural of a people whose self-respect and dignity has been pummelled by invasions over the centuries by two bit adventurers like Ghazni, Ghauri, Babur, Nadir Shah, Clive et. al.. Remember that it took Clive just 800 troops to take over India! So your knee-jerk response to make yourself look important by pissing on someone who is pointing out the problems in India is very desi.

I have a lot of respect for those who took on the Indian system in India like Narayana Murthy and Azeem Premji and brought about the changes that one sees today. But not everyone wants to be a hero; they just want an environment where they can better themselves. If liberalization has shown anything it is that if the shackles imposed on the people by the babus and politicians are broken, anything is possible. That is all I am alluding to.

Ref jang #24

[i recommend the nris discuss more important things like ``is swiss air better or luftansa for travel from mid-west to chennai``.]

Most definitely, Lufthansa. Six weekly flights out of Chennai to Frankfurt with immediate connections to the US Midwest.

Swissair never flew to Chennai and is bankrupt anyway.

So this is a no-brainer and that is why NRIs don`t waste their time discussing this.

Ref AhmadBilal #10

[About India, recently someone from the diplomatic circles mentioned to me that USA is urging India to stand up to China in a race to become a regional superpower.]

``The Americans will fight China to the last Indian.`` - Stephen Cohen

But then you should remember the corollary to that:

``And the Chinese will fight India to the last Pakistani.``

[India should avoid getting into that trap, and focus on the current fantastic development work being done by the Indians in various fields.]

Not at all. If this means we get some of the modern arms and force multipliers long denied to India, there is nothing wrong in going along with the US.

[And of course, resolving outstanding issues with Pakistan would be a huge bonus for the whole region.]

Let us see: the outstanding differences between India and Pakistan do not affect Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka or Maldives. It seems not to have impacted India too much if we go by economic growth numbers. So, ``the whole region`` translates to Pakistan.

Now tell me, why should we Indians give any sort of bonus to Pakistan until it cries ``uncle``?

varada,

you seem to be expert in everything from water, hardware, software and mice. 20 yrs as an nri got you all this? cool.. something to aspire for ;-)

nuff with this indya thing already. specially nri`s dishing out hollow advice. its pathetic (borrowing jays phrase) to see them blaming the beurocracies, ploticians and what not. reminds me of pakis blmaing the fuajis, the fuedals and mullas.

i recommend the nris discuss more important things like ``is swiss air better or luftansa for travel from mid-west to chennai``.

Here is a quote from a Jack Welch (ex GE boss) interview with Business Week to the question ``Are India and China a threat, or are they an economic advantage to the U.S.``:

``I see them as a real threat if we end up with stupid platforms that don`t allow us to be competitive. If we put our head in the sand, we will definitely lose out, particularly to China. India is a great intellectual place, but it never got rid of the British bureaucracy. China, on the other hand, is going to be a fierce competitor. Intellectually, off the wall. You have an energy. You have a drive that`s unsurpassed....We`re going to have to do an incredible job of moving up the technology curve.``

I have moved back Bangalore after 20 years in the U.S. and can see what Jack is talking about. Things like power reforms that are essential for an all-out industrial revolution are moving at a glacial pace while China is implementing them with brute force. Add to that, the Santa Claus politicians are promising free power when most of the State Electricity Boards are bankrupt! I bring this up because India has a chance (albeit slim) to blow China out of the water in hardware as it has in software if it`s politicians and bureaucracy just take up infrastructure development on a war footing. For example, Intel is building a 40+ acre campus in Bangalore for software development; can you imagine the possibilities if it can locate a fab nearby? Craig Barrett (CEO of Intel) ruled it out on a visit to India because the infrastructure to support a fab just did not exist.

Anyone remember the famous phrase against liberalization coined by our politiicians just a few years ago that went thus: ``We want computer chips, not potato chips``. Compare this to Deng Xiao Ping`s statement on the about-face that Communist China did when it liberalized: ``It doesn`t matter if the cat is black or white as long as it catches mice``. Sigh.

Some things are looking up like the private sectore which is well on it`s way to becoming world-class. For example, building technology is rapidly catching up with the West both in terms of technology and size. Million sqft buildings are knocked off in 6-8 months flat. Malls are currently the rage (how many will survive is debatable). If local governments had better town planning expertise, there is no reason why we couldn`t see downtowns that compete with the West or Singapore or Tokyo for that matter. The stumbling block is the bureaucracy which is essentially a jobs for the sake of jobs exercise and another darwinian species like our policitician that has not only survived the liberalization but is flourishing if you consider that the size of bribes have gone up manifold since 1991.

#19 by sadna on May 2, 2004 7:46am PT

No, I am not in the business of distributing rewards of heaven (if it exists), and still very much a Pakistani. My seemingly stereotypical comment was more of a sanity check. Otherwise, I have a number of good Indian friends around, who are very open to opposite opinions even on sensitive topics. Thanks.

Normally, I would say that the last country that can provide tips on Foreign Policy to India is Pakistan, but, I have to say that I agree with your advice 100%. The key to India`s future is economic development.

It has always been my strong belief that Indians while materially poor when compared to the west, can and will match or even surpass them in intellectual ability at any time. So, it is all just a matter of time for India to generate wealth.

The development activities require that we provide an environment of peace and harmony and we do not dissipate our energies in endless infighting and fighting with neighbors. Having said the above, I also do not want my country to become a victim of blackmail or held hostage to the delusions of failed states. Like all things in life, we need to finely balance our requirements. That is where the challange exists.

AhmadBilal #17
``So you reject opinions on basis of nationalities. :) That should add to my understanding of Indian thought processes.``

Nothing personal, but since you put it this way, it makes a lot less sense for the rewards of heaven to depend on the nationality of the person one kills. And that does add to an understanding of Pakistani thought processes, perhaps.

AhmadBilal #10
I agree with your advice..

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#12 by arjun_m on May 1, 2004 8:47am PT
``Yes...That`s exactly what India needs..Foreign policy advise from Pakistan``

Attempted sarcasm? So you reject opinions on basis of nationalities. :) That should add to my understanding of Indian thought processes. Thanks.

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