by Sudesh Samuel

Created on: December 12, 2008   Last Updated: January 06, 2009

Even as a new century begins, the economic train of the world's largest democracy rolls on, gifting software, language and spirituality to many. Home to luminaries like Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Theresa, diversity is key to the abiding fascination of India. Yet for all her exotic charms, threats are arising from within and without.

Tribal villagers have their land seized by the government and mix with Maoists, bent on armed conflict with the authorities. These

Naxalites are cancerous in suburban India and have already toppled the monarchy in neighboring Nepal. India responds by reorganizing its police forces, yet this is only symptom relieving. The underlying problem is linked to resource distribution and made worse by the moth of corruption that eats into the fabric of political society. Even relief work is exposed with 2.5 million dollars siphoned off in 2005 and never making it to those in need. Without relief, crop destruction from environmental disasters plunges farmers into lifetimes of bonded labor.

The Indian government does not sit idle. It runs the world's largest food distribution program, apportioning 8.4 billion dollars of food to feed the country's poor. However beyond a feeding hand, ownership of the country has to be better shared. Tribals can be nurtured and involved economically to manage their land. A decentralized and transparent government can also better dismantle the age-old caste system that still contributes to social disparities. Every city and state must establish it's own positive identity through core competencies, interdependence and trade. With a thriving information-technology sector, a shining example is already the city of Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh, now nicknamed 'Cyberabad'. Bangalore in Karnataka, similarly contributes high levels of education, job growth, and investment to the country.

With thriving cities, India has, and will continue to contend with terrorism. The city of Mumbai in Maharashtra, is still recovering from an attack that killed 172 people and sent a far-reaching message internationally. Among others, a Singaporean lawyer there on a 1-day business trip never returned and her last words as a hostage were a plea for swift resolution. In restoring confidence, India must give greater priority to terrorist task forces, put better monitoring systems in place and cooperate internationally to develop robust anti-terror networks. Root causes also cannot be neglected.

The plight with terror is linked to the low levels

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