India Superpower Assessment

Being a superpower can be defined as the extensive ability to exert influence on an

international scale. It is the state of possessing the might, both economic and military that is

superior in comparison to other countries. The term superpower can be attributed to countries

that have significant influence and a powerful global presence. A "superpower" nation can be

identified by the four pillars of power: economic, military, political, and social. Economic power

can be demonstrated by the size of a country's GDP, the strength of its currency, and its

participation in global economic partnerships. Superpowers often have significant military

power. This is dependent on huge investment by governments into their military, numerous

military bases located around the world, and investment into developing technology. Political

power may be demonstrated by a country's influence in international organizations. A

superpower may have social influence by developing brands that have a global presence that

spread their ideologies worldwide.

A solid governmental system is essential to politics, and the Mughal Empire certainly had

one. The Mughal Empire had a strong government power because they have respect for human

rights; it was enforced by Akbar. The government officials wanted everyone in the empire to be

respected and treated the same. He did this by enforcing equality in the Empire. The government

allied with Hindu princes despite being Muslim, he even married a Hindu princess. Akbar also

opened up government jobs to Hindus, regardless of status, and even abolished the caste system

to promote equality among his subjects. The Mughal Empire was important for bringing almost

the entire Indian subcontinent under one domain, drawing the subcontinent's regions together

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 through enhanced overland and coastal trading networks. The Mughals not only expanded their

territorial extent by wars and conquests, but they also devised administrative measures to

consolidate themselves as rulers by winning the loyalty of their subjects. Many people in history

have said India should turn their focus on domestic problems rather than foreign issues. Yet,

Prime Minister Narendra Modi continues to disregard that idea, in favor of maintaining foreign

relations. Cities in India are suffering as the people attack other citizens over race or economic

standing. But instead of doing anything to fix that, Modi, being set in his ways, turns a blind eye

and lets it happen. Studies have shown that ten out of the fifteen most polluted cities are in India.

People have described Dehli as having a “blanket of smoke” over it, where they can’t even

breath. The air that enters their lungs takes days to leave, even when they have been in the city

for just a few hours. Modi knows these facts, but would rather oppress minorities in his country

indirectly than help the people he stands for. Delhi is India's capital city. This means Modi is

living and working in these conditions, yet he doesn’t do anything. Some time ago, a rule passed

that only cars with even or odd-numbered plates would be able to go on the roads on certain

days. While it made some improvement, it’s a sorry excuse for a solution. A superpower needs a

strong government, not one that is biased and influenced by opinions or religions

Another aspect of a superpower is its economy, something which the Mughal empire was

very good at maintaining. Between the 15th and the 18th centuries, the economy of the Mughal

Empire revolved around agriculture and trade. The production of desirable agricultural goods,

and the taxes on those goods, made the Mughal economy soar. International trade, especially in

cotton textiles, provided another layer of economic growth. By selling luxury goods, such as

gold, gems, and spices, the Mughal dynasty increased its economic growth drastically. They also

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 placed a tax on all goods that passed through the Empire’s boundaries earning more money to

fund their society. Overall the Indian economy was large and prosperous under the Mughal

Empire. During the Mughal era, the gross domestic product (GDP) of India in 1600 was

estimated at 22% of the world economy, the second largest in the world, behind only Ming

China. Later on in the Dynasty’s history, the East India Company bought many resources from

the empire and used them to build forts, ultimately leading to India’s colonization, but at the

time, it was a prosperous deal. Another huge part of India’s economic history is the caste system.

The caste system is a classification of people into four hierarchically ranked castes called varnas.

They are classified according to occupation and determine access to wealth, power, and

privilege. Hinduism reinforced a strict social hierarchy called a caste system that made it nearly

impossible for people to move outside their social station. The system has led to the upper

classes being privileged over lower castes which were often repressed by that higher up on the

caste scale. The Sudras were very ill-treated and they were not allowed to come to public places.

Even their shadows were considered profane by the higher caste people. . But despite the Mughal

Emporer Akbar’s efforts to put a stop to the system, and promote equality, and the fact that the

system has been outlawed for many years now, the caste system continues to be a major part of

Indian citizen's lives. Itr stops the lower classes from becoming financially stable and still helps

the wealthy stay that way. The lowest caste was the Dalits, the untouchables. Most of the Dalit

were excessively poor, or disabled, seen as gross and undeserving of society. Most of the Dalit

caste work in low-paying jobs that other castes do not look highly upon. Since their jobs do not

receive respect, employers underpay the Dalits for the work they do, thus causing the high

poverty rate. One's caste affects their options regarding marriage, employment, education,

economies, mobility, housing, and politics. IfF one is in a lower caste, they get worse jobs and

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 education, while higher classes automatically get better ones. This is an unfair system that should

not exist for India to become a superpower.

One more critical aspect of a superpower is its ability to maintain a functioning society.

India experienced a golden age when prosperity and peace grew and the rule was much milder

than Mauryan Dynasty. Education was taught in Hindu or Buddhist schools but expanded beyond

religion into math, medicine, physics, language, literature, and other subjects. Gupta

mathematicians developed the current Arabic number system. The name is used because the

numerals were used by Arabs who took the system from India back to the Middle East. They also

developed the concept of zero and the decimal system based on the number 10. Doctors

successfully experimented with herbs, set bones, and even developed a smallpox vaccine 1,000

years before Europe figured it out. Additionally, architects, artists, and poets showed off their

skills across the cities, creating beautiful pieces that displayed their culture. Within these

incredible achievements laid the caste system, which, despite being looked down upon by

Buddhists, was used by many villages. This governed every aspect of the people’s lives from

where they could live, what they ate, how they dressed, how they earned a living, who they could

marry, and how they could be punished for crimes. Finally, in the beginning, women were

worshiped and respected. Women were responsible for writing some of the Vedas and serving as

leaders. They were seen as possessing shakti, which is a creative energy that it was believed men

lacked. Overall, the Gupta Dynasty created a strong, stable society that helped its citizens

achieve the best opportunities possible. Yet, although India had a strong social system in the past,

its current situation is different. In India, discrimination runs rampant, as it separates religions

and deepens a divide that has existed for decades. Every religion that exists in the nation, be it

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 peaceful or not, is attacked by society and people who believe in Hindu supremacy. The

Hindu-Muslim divide started during the India-Pakistan separation and has snowballed since. In

the beginning, the people were frustrated with British rule and did not want to live under a

government with their laws anymore. Eventually, people got fed up with the constant religious

put-downs, leading one man to suggest a partition of the land, claiming that Hindus and Muslims

will never be able to cooperate. The British took advantage of that and drew the borders to

separate India and Pakistan, expecting to be able to divide and conquer the nations and regain

control. It didn’t work, and the divide has continued until the present day. In the state of

Karnataka, the local government banned hijabs in schools, claiming that the hijab was not an

essential religious practice of Islam, and banning it in classrooms did not violate the

constitutional guarantee of religious freedom. It violated Article 14 of the Indian constitution as

well as the principle of fairness since the Muslim students were not allowed to be heard. Article

14 states that "The State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal

protection of the laws within the territory of India." (this is the best translation I could do). But

this discrimination doesn’t just exist in Karnataka, it happens everywhere, especially in the

unclaimed provinces of Jammu and Kashmir. These cities are the main reason for the hostility

between India and Pakistan, which has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths from

Hindu-Muslim animosity. All of which could have been stopped if India had hosted the vote that

would allow the citizens to choose which country to join.

Throughout the Indian past, the leaders of the nation have had their highs and lows.

While no country will have exhibited constant superpower qualities throughout history, the

Empires have made significant movements to ensure India has always been a powerful region.

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 And while the previous empires exhibited many attributes of superpower, they existed centuries

ago, taken over when the East India Company came to the land. India’s current systems are very

different, they do not seem to be exhibiting the qualities one would expect from a potential

superpower. A superpower nation should allow the citizens a voice in government decisions,

with a stable government dedicated to promoting integrity and peace in and out of the nation.

India's government doesn’t seem to have this. It is controlled by a tyrannical, biased, Hindu

supremacist that doesn’t seem to care for the minorities that take up 20% of the population.

Furthermore, a superpower should have a strong, self-sustaining economy, that provides access

to natural resources. Again, the empires did an exemplary job. But India's current situation has

let any possible developments die down. While India had a 5% GDP rate in 2015, the pandemic

has lowered that number drastically and has let a large portion of India's already large population

into poverty. Before the pandemic, India would certainly have had more economic prospects if it

had continued in its growth. Finally, a social superpower needs to be culturally strong, with a

supportive and stabilized hierarchy structure that included room for advancements. NOt only

does the caste system prevent this from happening, but the Hindu-Muslim divide is only getting

larger and more violent as people take Modi’s silence for approval and continue to discriminate

against Muslims, and other minorities, violating citizens' rights to free religion in the process. In

my eyes, India is something to be passionate about, it is my connection to my heritage and my

past. But IF you were to ask me if India is ready to be a superpower, I would say no. The current

political climate may change with the looming elections, although it is not likely, to bring a

brighter, more equal government into play. India’s economic situation can improve as well,

especially considering that most of its population is a young, energetic workforce. But the thing

that really needs work is the social system. Unless India fixes the discrimination and violence

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 that runs rampant in its society, it will never be able to reach its full potential as a superpower.

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