India Rising

India's stars appear to have aligned. Four consecutive years of impressive growth have silenced doubts about the sustainability of India's economic boom, and its rising international stature is reflected in a recent historic deal with the United States, giving India access to nuclear power technology without having to relinquish its nuclear weapons. Experts say if India stays on its current path it could be a global power by mid-century. Yet, India remains exceedingly poor. Per capita income is less than half of China's, and a quarter of the more than 1 billion Indians live below the poverty line. Government pledges to extend the benefits of growth to all are hampered by corruption and red tape. So, while the world's second-most populous country and largest democracy is headed in the right direction, it still has a long way to go.