India is growing – not only in population, but also as a new world power. Marcus Lanz discussed what that meant with Ranga Yogeshwar, among others.
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) estimates that India will be home to 1.4286 billion people by the middle of the year. In China, the population will be 1.4257 billion. What does this change mean for Germany and the international community? This is what Marcus Lanz wanted to know from his guests.
guests
- Britta Petersen, South Asia expert
- Ranga Yogeshwar, Moderator
“It’s clear that India is a big player to be reckoned with,” said Britta Petersen, an expert on South Asia. It can be assumed that India will be one of the largest economies in fifteen years. The country is currently in fifth place – Germany in fourth place.
Yogeshwar explains the difference between India and China
Moderator Ranga Yogeshwar, who spent part of his childhood in the southern Indian city of Bangalore, explained that anyone who thinks what works in China will work in India is miscalculating. Indian culture is different – “creative” and “theoretical” at the same time.
Lanz wanted to know why India loved mathematics and other sciences. Yogeshwar enlightened the overseer: “Because you don’t need much when thinking.” Mathematics has always been a strength of the continent and it also has roots in India.
inclusion
The author also gave an explanation for the fact that India produces many CEOs and professionals in the IT sector. For an IT company, all you need is electricity, a computer, and a satellite dish. On the other hand, building a chemical plant is more difficult.
India is in high demand, but why? Marcus Lanz asks
Recently Western heads of government have sought contact with India. In February, Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In April, Modi and US President Joe Biden met for a virtual summit. “Everyone is coming, why?” Lanz wanted to know.
“You want to put yourself in a position,” Yogeshwar explained. The background is the fact that the conflict between the United States and China is still simmering. However, the idea of joining forces with India is a “misunderstanding”, according to the moderator. Yogeshwar is convinced that India would prefer to retain its freedom from blocs and remain independent.
Petersen: “India is not looking for an alliance”
Petersen also emphasized that India is not looking for alliances. According to the expert, the country favors a multipolar world order based on rules. The reason behind this is that India, after a history of colonialism, never wants to be an ‘annex’ again.
Yogeshwar: ‘The West needs to rethink’
Both experts emphasized one point: Germany, Europe and the West must change their perspective on India. “The world will be different,” Yogeshwar said. Europeans and the USA like to think of themselves as the navel of the world, but in the new global community, the days of the old hubs are long gone. According to the moderator, India is slowly but surely becoming more self-confident. “The days of minions are over.”
