Martin Wolf on how he rates the performance of the government?

Martin Wolf: From the outside world’s point of view, it would be seen as a mixed record. There are very clear realities. First, it is a politically very successful government. It has established an extraordinarily strong position in the country. Everybody assumes it is going to last for a long time. It gives political stability. One understands what it is trying broadly to do. There are questions abroad about potential for communal divisiveness and whether that would affect its stability and what that would mean for its future. India is seen as a very important country for the future because of its size and economic potential.

On the economic front, the performance of the government is again mixed. The growth record has not been good. The country’s economy was terribly hit by Covid-19. There is a perception the government took some rather whimsical decisions like demonetisation. Some big problems are emerging in terms of relatively weak investment in the private sector, in particular. There is an attempt to build some sort of a welfare state. There is a recognition that the government is really quite successful and quite determined to improve public services for the mass of the people.