भारत « B‛ĀRAT »
— Officially: भारत गणराज्य « B‛ārat Ganarājja ».
— English: India.
— Seat of government: दिल्ली « Dillī ».
— Status: Democratic.
— Structure: The लोक सभा « Lōk Sab‛ā » is elected in geographical constituencies, and chooses the prime minster. Parliament comprises the लोक सभा « Lōk Sab‛ā » and the राज्यसभा « Rājja-Sab‛ā », chosen by state legislatures to reflect their own proportions.
— Governing party: राष्ट्रीय जनतांत्रिक गठबंधन « Rāstrīja Janatā~trik Gat‛băd‛an », chiefly भारतीय जनता पार्टी « B‛āratīja Janatā Party ».
— Head of government: નરેંદ્ર મોદી « Narē~dra Mōdī », भाजपा « B‛ā-Ja-Pā », prime minister.
— Chief opposition party: संयुक्त प्रगतिशील गठबंधन « Săjukt Pragatiśīl Gat‛băd‛an », chiefly भारतीय राष्ट्रीय कांगरेस « B‛āratīja Rāstrīja Congress », led by Sonia गाँधी « Gā~d‛ī ».
— Assessment: Rancorous but stable parliamentary system, and fairly liberal on a number of issues, impressively so for a democracy of its size and age. Numerous separatist armies in the east and south of the country are contending with federal rule. कांगरेस « Congress » led the state to independence (1947), and dominated politics for decades, especially under one family: पंडित जवाहर्लाल नेह्रू « Pădit Javāharlāl Nēhrū » (1947-64), his daughter इंदिरा गाँधी « Ĩdirā Gā~d‛ī » (1966-77, 1980-4, assassinated), her son राजीव गाँधी « Rājīv Gā~d‛ī » (1984-9), and his wife Sonia गाँधी « Gā~d‛ī », who as party leader was co-head of government with ਮਨਮੋਹਨ ਸਿੰਘ « Manmōhan Sĩg‛ » (2004-14). The भाजपा « B‛ā-Ja-Pā » has been its main recent rival, including a government led by अटल बिहारी वाज्पेयी « Atal Bihārī Vājpējī » (1998-2004). An election in 2009 returned the संप्रग « Să-Pra-Ga » in a much stronger position; कांगरेस « Congress » in particular won a significant plurality. But in 2014, the राजग « Rā-Ja-Ga » won a sweeping victory, with the भाजपा « B‛ā-Ja-Pā » commanding a majority on its own.
— FH: 2-3, free; 5-4, partly free (for कश्मीर « Kaśmīr »). Econ: 7.80 (35), flawed democracy.
— Updated: 2015 March 19.
O.T. FORD