Like the dramatic changes in India’s strategic significance,
changes in its economic performance and condition have also
made India globally more visible. In the years since 1991, the year
India launched its economic liberalization policy, its economy has
grown rapidly reaching as high as 8 per cent of GDP per annum;
its middle class consumers are estimated at 250,000,000; it has
attracted high levels of foreign direct and portfolio investment; its
rapidly growing information technology firms are setting world
standards; and jobs in India’s business process outsourcing [BPO]
firms became an issue in America’s 2004 presidential election;
Major changes in the Indian diaspora also have enhanced
India’s visibility in the US. In the intervening years, it has grown
from half a million to almost two million. The Indian-American
community not only has the highest proportion of college and
advanced degrees and the highest median family income of any
ethnic group in the US,
it also has one of the most effective
foreign policy lobbying groups US-INPAC [US-India Political
Action Committee] and the largest country caucus in the U. S.
House of Representatives [155 members].
3
.
See Matthew C. J. Rudolph et al, “Kerry’s not scary,” The Hindu
[Chennai] October 27, 2004.
4
.
http://www.asian-nation.org/demographics.shtml
5
.
The Indian community is not always in agreement. It split in March
2005 over the proposed visit of Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi.
Modi had been invited to address the Asian-American Hotel Owner
Associations [many of whom are Patels from Gujarat] in Fort Lauderdale,
Florida and the Association of Indian-Americans of North America in
Madison Square Garden, New York City. ] Secularists who held Modi
3
Convention