India struggles to catch China
BBC China correspondent Rupert Wingfield-Hayes takes a trip to India and notices the stark realities between Delhi and Beijing. For folks familiar with both counties this is no surprise, but he captures the cognitive dissonance quite well.
There are, I suspect, many who are hoping that India, with its freedom and democracy, will win this new race to become the nexteconomic super power. I am not so sure.
I have spent the last eight years living in Beijing, and only four days in Delhi, so comparisons are difficult.
But the few days I recently spent in India made me look at China in a new lightDelhi is an overwhelming experience. It is as if all of humanity has been squeezed into one city.
The streets groan under the weight of people. The air is filled with deafening noise and sumptuous smells.
Switch on the television and it is the same.
Between channels blasting out voluptuous Bollywood lovestories and pop videos, an endless stream of news channels dissect the latest politicalscandals, and debauched lifestyles of the rich andfamous.
Coming from China it is an almost shocking experience…
Later that day as I drove home from Beijing airport along the smooth six-lane highway I could not help feeling a sense of relief at being back in a country where things work.And it was not just the airports and roads.
Driving through a village on the edge of Beijing I was struck by how well everyone was dressed.
In Delhi, I had been shocked to see thousands of people sleeping rough on the streets every night, nothing but the few rags they slept in to call their own. Even deep in China’s countryside that is not something you will see…China is not a free society, and it has immense problems. But its successes should not be underestimated.
They are ones that India, even with its open and democratic society, is still far from matching.
During a trip last year to the high tech center of Bangalore, I had similar feelings.
I rode an autorickshaw through town that had to dodge a cow before making it to the massive intersection with an abandoned unfinished overpass, just down the road from the gleaming Dell Computer workplace.
Locals know it’s also famous for the traffic light that holds west-bound traffic for a full seven minutes, so most vehicles turn off their engine and wait it out. (I took the opportunity to hop out and take some pictures.) If you take a left turn to head towards the town center, it’s all brown dirt with large sharp rocks jutting out. Driving a three-wheeled rickshaw through it is completely insane, where you’re one jolt away from completely toppling over.
But it’s important to note that the India vs. China competition is not very productive in the grand scheme. The success of one will not be at the expense of the other.
technorati tags:india, china, bangalore
July 24th, 2006 02:27
Mr. Rupert writes like a teenage blogger. It is v surprising to have his writing published by BBC. Complete waste of resources and readers’ time. Sure, we all know that India has to catch up big time with China and it is far behind the big infrastructure problem. What’s so novel about Mr. Rupert’s writing except that he was justifying his free trip to India to BBC? I would have liked a more balanced comparison based on values that mater like, educational system, rule of law, transparency in business, effectiveness of legal system, freedom of speech etc. etc. in India vis-à-vis China. No mater what he thinks, both India and China are giants in waiting in their own right.
July 27th, 2006 22:39
It is understandable that many who are hoping that India will win the race to prove great of its freedom and democracy,however,these people know little about today’s china, they underestimate the thriving freedom and democracy in the people’s Republic of China.
China’s president, Mr.Hu Jintao, has addressed “No democracy,no china’s development”, China has been making great progress of value like, educational system, rule of law, transparency in business, effectiveness of legal system, freedom of speech etc. etc, it is the real source for china’s past development, however,many people dont kown that, dont know china..
If you want to know true china, come to china to see by yourself, dont blindly follow the western biased media, otherwise, you will never know the true china.
August 8th, 2006 18:44
haha, western people’s eyes r always been hide from their “democracy” stuff. they didn’t even tech their children how they get rich last century by snatching resources and wealths from other countries and when china resume from the humaliation they just don’t want things get back to maco polo’s time.
August 9th, 2006 09:36
Hi All,
Another view on Delhi, Aug 10 2006. Not such an awful place as the BBc reporter suggests.
New Delhi: The heart and soul of India
By Kamilla Hemandas
Prince Charles and Prime Minister Tony Blair of the United Kingdom, Bill Gates of Microsoft, and Secretary-General Kofi Annan of the United Nations are just a few among the distinguished visitors that recently visited India’s capital city, New Delhi. The seat of India’s government and parliament is also a primary travel hub, that never fails to astonish its visitors.
Like the rest of the Indian subcontinent, New Delhi is an overload to the senses. Its colors, tastes, smells and sounds, bring you face-to-face with the heart and soul of India. The Taj Hotel on Mansingh Road was my home away from home during my recent holiday in New Delhi. It is the hotel of choice of many celebrities, from rock stars to chief executives, and heads of state, as was revealed to me by their lovely public relations manager Neha Garg, simply because the Taj on Mansingh has a reputation for the finest accommodation in the city complemented by its delectable cuisine. I personally was most impressed with their in-room “butler service,” where a white gloved “jeeves” served me English tea replete with scones and cucumber and cheese sandwiches complemented with perfect English conversation. He was so knowledgeable and full of information about the tourist spots in Delhi that I began to feel right at home.
Delhi has a plethora of sights to offer the tourist. Old Delhi is full of historical monuments that bring you back to its glorious past when Mughal emperors ruled with its majestic mosques, forts and monuments. Most outstanding is Shajahanabad, a city constructed in 1639 by Emperor Shah Jahan, the same benevolent ruler who constructed the Taj Mahal for his inamorata. An afternoon exploring the Red Fort and Jama Masjid, primary landmarks of Shajahanabad, was a lot of fun. Inside the colossal, awesome fort was a museum where one could view centuries-old costumes of a bygone era, weapons and various memorabilia that transport you to the days of legends and royalty. The flea market was most fascinating with vendors displaying almost everything under the sun. My family and I picked up handicrafts, Indian art, swords, trinkets, marble coasters with intricate stone inlays, T-shirts, etc. I even had a close encounter with an authentic Hindu ascetic, without having to ascend the precarious mystical Himalayas. Garbed in the color of a renunciate saffron, he gave me such a warm smile that I offered to buy him a cup of hot tea which he very humbly declined. The sound and light show in the evening at the Red Fort is a must-see for every tourist as it narrates the rich cultural history of India through an entertaining musical production.
Other historical landmarks are the Qutub Minar, a fluted 72-meter red sandstone tower covered with intricate carvings from the holy Qur’an. Raj Ghat, the crematory ground of Mahatma Gandhi on the bank of the river Yamuna, is also a popular tourist spot and frequented by all visiting dignitaries. Raj Ghat is the final resting place of the father of the Indian nation whom the British referred to as the “one-man army.” Beside the Raj Ghat is the “Forest of Peace,” “Shanti Vana” where India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, was cremated. Now converted into a lush beautiful park, its trees are inscribed with the sayings and wisdom of the late prime minister who along with Gandhi, were the architects of Indian independence. Another marvelous edifice is the Lotus Temple. Constructed for the Bahai community, it offers the visitor the serenity that pervades the temple complemented with its attractive eastern lotus motifs.
Another face of the city is the modern New Delhi. Designed by outstanding British architects Sir Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker, when the British East India Company moved the capital from Calcutta to Delhi. It now houses the seat of government and an exclusive residential area called “Lutyen’s Delhi.” Located at the heart of the district is the Taj Hotel on Mansingh Road. Its lobby, executed in pristine white marble resonates with the architectural heritage of the opulent Mughals reflected in the intricate domes and panels complemented with the serene indoor marble fountain streams. Its walls adorned with gold inlay work and authentic niches from Shajahanabad, the erstwhile mogul capital, all add a sense of timelessness to the interiors. My favorite outlet restaurant was the “Haveli,” which means “palace” in Hindi. A fine dining Indian restaurant which served the most sumptuous mutton biryani and chicken makhanwala complemented with the richest rotis and naans. Aside from its cuisine prepared by award-winning chef Irshad Ahmed Qureshi, its ambience redolent with old world appeal is another crowd-drawer. Rare artwork by famous Indian painter Anjolie Ela Menon embellished the walls which provide for a cozy setting, the real charm of the Haveli.
New Delhi has a myriad of encounters to offer its visitors. It is a main travel hub to the rest of northern India as through Delhi, one can book tours to the Golden Temple in Amritsar, the exotic Khajurao Temples, Ananda Spa in Uttaranchal, and even to the Dharamsala of the Dalai Lama. The world-famous edifice of love, the Taj Mahal, is also accessible by road from New Delhi. Delhi’s latest attraction is the Akshadam Temple, recently inaugurated by Manila visitor President Kalam. Just over six months old, it has already been declared a world heritage site by the Unesco. Its breathtaking architecture and idyllic gardens remain unduplicated in this modern age. Pilgrimage tours, heritage tours, adventure tours, cultural tours, whatever be your exotic fancy, New Delhi brings you close to the voice of upbeat India.
September 2nd, 2006 20:58
It’s understandable Rajiv that you took some offence from the article. But I think what the writer is trying to say is that while the competition between India and China is a healthy one, the comparisons cannot go to far. Ofcourse China is going to beat India, we’ve had a head start and we never went through centuries of colonial rule (such as the case with Africa). I do agree that the writer should not have such a biased attitude of commenting on India when he’s only been there for 8 days. But he has he’s right to an oppinion, as you Indians so patriotically toot. And I guess thats just one of the sideeffects of a developing democratic country; progress is hampered by oppinions. Whereas in China if a road is supposed to be built, it will be built; no questions.
September 14th, 2006 19:09
It is known to the world that China harbours ambition to challenge superpower status of US, and all its development is focus around
its overzealous domination of the world. A country should not develop at the cost of its citizens, what is the use of such sort of development, where there is no improvement in the life of countless millions who are still living on less than $2 per day and all the wealth is going to less than 5% of its people.
This is western conspiracy to shift manufacturing jobs to China so that Chinese will die due to pollution and toxic waste before they will become rich and dominate the world. It has been predicted that China will become gray before it will become rich due to 1 child policy.
By contrast India don’t harbour any ambition to dominate the world, only 2% Indians live overseas a minuscle proportion in comparison to Chinese. India is an easy going country with little govt intervention in the life of its citizens and provide enormous amount of freedom in matter of laws, regulations, taxation, family matter or family size etc.
It’s good that India is unattractive to foreigners let them stay in their hell and make their laws strict against immigration.
Western style consumerism and lifestyle is catastrophic to the very survival of human kind.
It can’t be a solution to human suffering and problems. We have to find sustainable policies for growth and development and find better ways to reduce corruption, poverty and unequal distribution of wealth
September 14th, 2006 19:32
All this is just for the sake of discussion, China started its liberalisation processs and transformation from socialist to western style capitalist economy 30 years ago compare to India’s 15 years. Indians are not interested to dominate the world and invade countries like US or UK are doing or have a hidden programme to rule the world by dethroning western domination like Chinese.
Indian are peace loving social creatures who are doing well by maintaining 8% GDP growth per annum and their economic programme is to reduce poverty and provide employment to millions of young Indians.
The biased western media try to compare China with India, and their is a great resentment in these white skin creatures because unlike Africa, America and Australia where they have much control over their economy India is Independent and free and is doing well.
So what if India has not a world class infrastructure or it is crowded, it is free from western pests who only think of profit from rest of the world by any means posible.
China is just a cheap market to manufacture kitchen knives, toilet tissue and undergarments for the West.
“Acceptable to me an impoverish lifestyle anyday but to live as slave under the foreigner, that is the disgrace I would like to avoid and for which our ancestors have given their blood”
September 14th, 2006 21:41
> It is known to the world that China harbours
> ambition to challenge superpower status of US,
> and all its development is focus around
> its overzealous domination of the world.
This is quite a silly notion. And if you read James McGregor’s piece in the WSJ this past week, you’ll find an excellent description of why this “China wants to rule the world” issue is a fallacy.
No More Chinese Whispers
By JAMES MCGREGOR
September 12, 2006; Page A20
October 8th, 2006 05:07
So much arrogance for the country where 75% people are poor and struggling to make there ends meet. Chinese want to overlook poverty and corruption in their own backyard- what you are boasting about is few skyscrapers and high ways in Shanghai and Beijing. No one in the world will ever get inspiration from either chinese dictatorship/ brutality, corruption or cheap labour economy.
Indias plus points scores much above Chinese model as personal freedom do matter, working conditions are very important- few people wants to work in sweatshop with poor wages. Developing its own market, innovation and knowledge based economy is equally important
as selling cheap consumer goods to US. Its due to Indians shear hardwork and endurance
that they are the top outsourcing destination in the world for IT & BPO with 44% market share and self sufficient in agriculture, manufacturing and booming service sector.
In China the simple rule is you can’t getaway with poverty but you can get away with the poor- so dump all poor people where nobody will notice them- so you can present a rosy picture to foreign journalist- excellent.
Now it is obvious, even to the communists, that the parts of the Indian economy that are humming, such as drugs, auto parts and IT, are the ones that are most open and that this is no coincidence.
In 2003, a survey by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry found that 40 percent of companies were “positive” on India as an investment destination; last year, that figure rose to 73 percent.
China’s hardware - in the form of bridges, roads, ports and the like - is incomparably better than India’s.
But in important ways, India’s economic software is superior. India’s banks report about 10 percent non-performing loans; China admits to 20 percent and the true figure could be double that.
India’s capital markets work the way they should; China’s are a rigged casino. India has more engineers and scientists; its domestic entrepreneurs have made a bigger mark.
And while no one in his right mind wants to go near the creaky, backlogged Indian civil courts, India is a country that does try to govern by the rule of law. China, ultimately, is a country that will break the rule of law whenever the party feels like it or deems its power to be threatened even if that “threat” is a few thousand poor peasants and their lawyer.
It is also worth noting that China’s one-child policy means that it will face the costs of a rapidly aging population much sooner than India.
Since 1992, when Deng Xiaoping decided to gun for growth, China’s economy has been running flat out. Over the same period, India’s has accelerated from a crawl to a brisk jog; in a good year, it can deliver 8 percent growth. But with the example of positive change behind it, plus a reasonable monsoon, it is not hard to imagine India growing at China-like speed.
It is at that point that its institutional strengths (a much richer civil society and a government that can be held accountable) give it a decided advantage.
At some point, a market economy requires a reasonably open and flexible political order. In China, that implies the end of the Communist Party’s monopoly of power, or at least the chance to challenge it without being imprisoned. China’s rulers are nowhere near countenancing that.
For all the advances in personal freedom in China over the past 15 years - and these have been enormous - the Communist Party’s clenched grip on power has not relaxed. It’s a whole lot less traumatic for a democratic country to open its economy, as India is doing, than for a dictatorship to open its politics, as China is not doing.
And that’s why, a generation or so down the line, it is India that is going to be the Asian tiger that everyone watches.
On 8 of october 2006 Indian prime minister announsed a plan to invest $320 billion in infrastructure and power supply with the help of private sector in next 5 years, it’s a matter of decade or two that india will shine and will be a leading power.
November 27th, 2006 21:24
Q: Is there an Indian equivalent of Chinese fenqing?
January 15th, 2007 04:52
Calm down guys. China leads in the infrastructure comparison. India leads in the software developing field. There are lots of express ways in Beijing, but they are jammed like hell. Well, in india, automobile\ bicycles\motorcycle\cow are all on the same road. India has very good financial system/ stock markets/ well-educated english speaking human resources. China has more power plants, better transportation and urban facilities. In China, thousands of people get executed every year. In india, the wealthest criminals can always find a way to escape death penalty by getting around the legal system. China is considered a threat to the most developed countries in the world. India is plagued by religious difference and intolerance.
The government of both countries should do more, to serve the people, rather than serve themselves or being handicapped by endless political wars. Both countries have had pride and brillant history, both countries have been looted by foreigners and are lagging behind the world now.
Both with 5,000 over years of history, India and China are set to become great powers (they ought to be) and in order to do this they need to be friends rather than enemies. This takes time. Action speaks louder than words. Citizen of India/China should love their nation and start working to achieve their dreams.
January 25th, 2007 04:21
Hi All
Why fuss!! Sino-Indian history and links are very old. For more pl. read the Amartya Sen’n Book ‘Argumentative Indian’- where he devoted a full chapter. I was amazed to read and as the Ex Chinese premier said during his visit to India - over 99% time we share great realtion and only 1% time we fought. It time to build on those 99%..
Well eventually in Asia - there would be competition and that would be between China and India- that is sure. But we should do it with good sportsman spirit, with honor and respect.
The problem is that most of the Indian youth and vice versa knows little about our countries and its time to encourage visits, tourism and exchange of students etc.
may the history (in this case) and geography be the guide of the neo-relationship…
February 16th, 2007 23:52
India and China both have unique problems requiring unique solutions. Similarly both have similar problems and they could learn from each other in finding solutions.
This India vs China competition is not initiated by India or China but an attempt to pit India against China by the West with powerful propaganda machines like the BBC.
This is the familiar “divide and rule” policy which has served the West well in the past. They will continue with thse dirty tricks in the future. Beware !!!
July 24th, 2007 23:04
I hope both Chinese and Indians realize that both of their countries were absolutely raped and pillaged by colonial powers not to long ago.
What Britain did to China and India is just horrible. Let’s not let these atrocities happen to to these two countries again by any country.
August 27th, 2007 12:35
Not long ago, I thought India may be an inspiration alternative to China. But After a close survey on India, I find for all the problems China has, India has as well. On the other hand, For all the problems India has, China not necessarily has.
So to conclude, the biggest achivement for indians are their ability to cheer about their underachievements and incapabilities which in outsiders’ eyes they simply can’t cheer about.
August 27th, 2007 12:45
“Ofcourse China is going to beat India, we’ve had a head start and we never went through centuries of colonial rule (such as the case with Africa).”
Well said, Nigel September 2nd, 2006 20:58
Some idiots simply can’t win arguments by shouting louder.
September 1st, 2007 17:55
rocky1 wrote: “Chinese want to overlook poverty and corruption in their own backyard- what you are boasting about is few skyscrapers and high ways in Shanghai and Beijing.”
A few skyscrapers? You obviously haven’t been to Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Wuhan, Dalian, Shenzhen, Guangzhou etc etc. The total population of these cities in China is more than Japan and any European country. Yes, indeed China still has a long way to go, but India has even farther to go.
September 3rd, 2007 00:46
Perhaps one should compare China in 1992 with India in 2007 to compensate the 15-year Chinese headstart.
I submit that India wins this comparision!
January 4th, 2008 13:35
China is a great country with a great pride of its own people. India is not a great country and not a pride people. Lots of Indian have tried to get rids of Indian root by marry up to white people to have whiter skin children and more westernized. Indian are proud of speaking good English with as close as american accent as they can get, and try to forget their own native language. In highschool and university, the medium instruction is all in English. This is not right even for a small country like Philippines , where i grew up, but for India, a big country, i think it is a shame for indian to be proud of speaking good English. We fippino have not problem of English, but we still envy other asian countries of their culture background, like Chinese, Korean , Japanese, Thailand or Vietnamese. I feel that no matter how good is my English, I am still not a whtie, british person. I do not know of any Indian feel this humiliation of proud speaking English, and India is not a small country and should have its own destiny and self center as China. Even Indian in southeasia is looked down by local people. Chinese are looked up and respected over here.
April 16th, 2008 12:21
I like Dr. P. Kumar’s posting better.
April 25th, 2008 13:39
This is a stupid comparison. Both countries have nothing in common except being large asian nations. Honestly, I am an Indian, and I am not concerned with what happens in other countries. I am just happy that India is growing the way it is, although I wish it grew faster to bring more people out of poverty. Plus I disagree with the author in passing judgement on something that may or may not happen in the future. 20 years ago people would have condescended China vis a vis the US similarly, but today many of them have been proven wrong. Who knows, maybe 10 - 15 years from today the same could happen in case of India.
People like Tatengo should grow up and stop generalizing about a billion people. In a globalized world, there’s no humiliation caused by speaking a certain language, or liking a certain culture.
July 5th, 2008 12:40
All asian countries from the middle east to east asia have made tremendous progress in less than 20 years. india is the sick man of asia and cannot progress far even after 60 years.
China gets things done in building the nation. What have indians done for their people? Very little.
July 20th, 2008 06:20
I’ve seen India and lived in China and agree entirely with the writer. China and India at the moment are in different leagues, and the gap is likely to grow. Of all the huge differences, this one is perhaps the most important: while most rural Chinese can get easily to a city to find work and improve their living conditions, thanks to good roads and comms, most rural Indians are stuck in their villages. Chinese villages are half-empty now, but Indian ones still teem with millions stuck in nearly hopeless poverty. Indians can change their leaders, Chinese can change their lives.
November 17th, 2008 19:52
can’t we all just be friends
“14 reasons why China and India are better off as friends”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2B_3H2kxwY