The Observer view on the growing threat to democracy in India | Observer editorial
As his country overtakes China as the world’s most populous, Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government is escalating its attack on civil rights
India has many things going for it these days but the growing authoritarianism of prime minister Narendra Modi’s rightwing Hindu nationalist government is not one of them. The economy has rebounded faster than most after the Covid-19 slump, according to the IMF and the World Bank. Annual GDP is projected to overtake Germany and Japan by 2027, making India the world’s third largest economy after the US and China.
UN figures published last week indicate India will become the planet’s most populous country by June, with a population of 1.4286 billion compared with China’s 1.4257 billion. The significance of this shift is geopolitical as well as economic. In a world dominated by great power rivalries and blocs, India stands out as an independent force in global affairs, drawing on a proud post-1947 history of non-alignment. Contrasted with the creaking economies, fading influence and ageing populations of western countries such as Britain, the former colonial power’s future looks bright indeed. Yet all this potential is set at risk by Modi’s divisive and destructive actions. He and his ruling Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) pose a fundamental threat to that other crucial pillar of Indian progress: democratic governance based on the rule of law, civil rights and freedom of speech.
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