From India to Infinity

India is the worlds largest democracy and looks confidently to joining the ranks of the most advanced industrial economics former Italian Ambassador to India looks at the opportunities and pitfalls confronting India in the twenty-first century a buoyant economic climate and a strong can do mentally among the people have to reckon with a bloated bureaucracy widespread corruption the enduring influence of caste and the role of Karma. In vividly illuminating pages the author analyses the various aspects of the countrys institutions and the mechanisms of its civil society and provides an original insight into the motivations of the remarkable optimism with which Indians pursue the perspective of accelerated economic growth and global strategic influence indicating in their aspiration to be recognized as a Super-Power. Many hurdles remain before the elephant can confidently fly but the combination of optimism and strong commitment which characterize contemporary India lead the author to a reasonable optimistic conclusion. About the Author Come Carpentier de Gourdon was Italian Ambassador to India and Nepal from 2004 to 2008. A professional diplomat he was roving ambassador to the CSCE (Conference in Europe) in 1990-92; Ambassador to Algeria in 1998-2000. Ambassador-at-large for International Anti-Terrorism in 2001-02; Ambassador-at-large and Special Envoy to Iraq in 2003; and ambassador to the OECD in Paris in 2008-10. His other foreign postings included London Warsaw Addis Abeda Vienna Helsinki; he was Spokesman for European Commissioner Altiero Spinelli in Brussels of the Founding Fathers of European Unity and served as Assistant Private Secretary to Foreign Minister and Prime Minister Aldo Moro. He was Visiting Professor on Comparative Politics at LUISS University in Rome in 2003-04 and on Comparative International relations at Ca Fosc