GPF Team

Nov. 13, 2017

Nov. 16, 2017

Nov. 17, 2017 A unified national identity could make India a powerhouse.

Nov. 17, 2017 Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s revolutionary vision for his country’s future bears little resemblance to its present, yet polls suggest that a strong majority of Indian society may have bought into that vision. According to a Pew survey released this week, 88 percent of Indians hold a favorable view of Modi, and 83 percent are satisfied with the state of the economy. Most notably, 70 percent said they were satisfied with the direction their country is moving in. Just 29 percent felt this way in 2013 – the year before Modi took office – which means there has been a seismic shift in public sentiment in India.

Modi’s vision can be boiled down to three elements: strengthening the central government, strengthening the military and strengthening Indian society. The third element is in many ways the most daunting. India is a vast collection of religions, ethnicities and languages. Modi doesn’t view this diversity as an advantage. He is a Hindu nationalist, and he wants India to be a nation-state with a uniquely Hindu identity.

Nov. 16, 2017 Jacob L. Shapiro and Xander Snyder discuss the frenzy of developments in Saudi Arabia. Later, they explain why a tiny region in Georgia is back in the news. Sign up here for free updates on topics like this.