South Asia Monitor: India: Expect Turbulence - June 3, 2004

June 3, 2004

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government allotted the key posts to veteran Congress figures, but nearly half of its parliamentary strength comes from outside his Congress Party. Now the government faces three big tasks: economic policy, reconciling its promises to spread more of India's growth to the poor; foreign policy, especially managing the dialogue with Pakistan; and managing a political coalition, a new requirement for a party that dominated India's politics for three decades. Relations with the United States will be powerfully affected by India's economic policy, and will require a deft touch on both sides.