Be honest: What do you really know about India? Sure: India is a huge country with over 1.4 billion people. India is a country where the majority of the population is Hindu. And Mahatma Gandhi was one of the main protagonists who led the country to independence from British colonial rule; including the division of British India into India and Pakistan. But beyond that, India is a big question mark for many in the West.

This is also reflected in local reporting. While China is discussed almost as intensively as the United States in the country’s foreign policy department, almost no one hears, sees or reads about India. This country – which is somewhere between spiritual traditions and nuclear power currently seeking a way into the future – is fascinating, but also surprising and even frightening.

Journalist and writer Oliver Schulz is someone who is very familiar with India. In his current book “New World Power India” (Westend-Verlag) he compiles the history of the country, talks about his journey there and analyzes the current opportunities, but also the challenges facing India.

Some examples: India only opened up to world trade in the 1990s, was previously shaped by socialist ideas and still struggles with today’s liberal economic policies. While China has a relatively homogeneous society, North and South Indians not only look different, but also speak different languages. And in recent years, inter-religious conflicts between Hindus and Muslims in India have increased dramatically.

This inter-religious conflict unfolded in such a way that Hindu nationalism did experience a renaissance, which is also reflected in the current ruling party, which partially propagates folkish ideology. So far in recent years there have been repeated violent attacks and even genocide. And this continues even today to the discussion of who the true hero of Indian independence was: Gandhi – or his killers.

Ben Krischke, Head of Digital at Cicero, talked to Schulz about India. On the historical context, on the conflict between religions, on Robert Habeck’s announcement that he wanted to work closer to India economically – and about the romantic view of many in the West of a country that is in many ways not romantic at all.

The conversation was recorded on August 9, 2023.

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