India


India facts

India, a peninsular nation in South Asia, has been, for centuries, a region of attraction for many a traveler, researcher and business man around the world. India Geography sketches the spectrum of topographical features, climatic conditions based on India location, disaster prone regions as well as flora and fauna, which stretch along different India States. In India, weather conditions show marked difference with the difference in regions and seasons. In India winter season is from November to mid-March and India summer from mid-April to June. Intensity and amount of Monsoon varies from region to region. Indian Meteorological Department regularly does the India weather forecast with the help of images from satellites like INSAT, Meteosat, World (Intellicast), etc.

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Indian National Anthem also articulates the names of various regions of India like Sindh, Punjab, Gujarat as well as Vindhyas and the Himalayas, among others. The Indian National Anthem was originally composed by Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore in Bengali and sung for the first time in 1911, the same year when British shifted the capital of India from Calcutta to Delhi. Modern India history is a tale of colonization of the region by the Portuguese, Dutch, French and finally, the British. For India, independence came much late when compared to other developed countries of the world. With the formation of a sovereign India government under the first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, India entered a new phase in its history. The primary challenge before this newly independent country was to bring opportunities of development to its masses and build a prosperous nation under democracy and rule of law. Hindi was given the status of national language and 14 others were considered India official language. India education has not been given much attention by changing governments as is evident from the budget share allocated to this sector till 2006. However, the percentage share allocated to this sector went up to 34.2% in 2007-08 Union Budget India universities are moribund, recent reports say.A face lift to India university should come along in the form of updated curriculum, efficient faculty, increased funds for labs, library and other infrastructure as well as competitive financial support for full-time researchers. Marginalized sections of the country need also be given equal opportunities for education. And, if years of underdevelopment and social segregation has pushed them to a disadvantageous position in competitive fields, then seats need to be reserved for them in all higher education institutions of the country. In India, untouchables were a group of people in society who were not allowed to enter public spaces visited by high caste people. Caste system in India continues to be a social evil in many of its States where Dalits (as the lower caste people are officially represented) are not given equal opportunities in social, religious and political spheres. The present day India is an economic power house of the future with its large chunk of under-30 workforce, advances in IT, open market policies since the nation's economic liberalization in 1990s, and for many other reasons. India population, at present, stands at 1.136 billion (approximate). India time zone is 5 hrs 30 minutes ahead of GMT. Standard India Time is the local time along 82.5 degree E longitude, which falls slightly west to Mirzapur town near Allahabad.

Indian Culture
The roots of Indian culture and civilization can be traced back to more than 5,000 years ago with an unbroken continuity of traditions, customs and world-renowned schools of philosophy. In India, religion is not simply a belief system but a journey of self exploration which help mortals evolve into immortal examples of sacrifice and glory. In ancient India, kings were not only supposed to act as rulers but as great personalities. Some striking examples of this can be found in King Vikramaditya, known for his artistic and intellectual contributions, King Ashoka who is famous for his peaceful ideals and Prithviraj Chauhan, a great warrior king of India.Throughout history, Indian languages and literature have exercised a great deal of influence on other great civilizations and intellectual development of the world at large.To know the real India, languages of different regions must be acquainted with, which can afford a great deal of information on India culture, traditions, history and folklore.

For those who wish to explore the cultural richness of India through books, India Book House, a pioneer in the import and distribution of books, will be the proper place to barge in. With some of the most beautiful places in the world, India is rightly known as the paradise on earth. Kashmir is one such place, which has enchanted visitors from around the world with the sublime beauty of snow capped hills, Dal Lake and Shalimar Gardens, one of the most famous India Gardens.

Contrary to the popular perception, in traditional India, girls were placed under the guidance of learned Gurus, where, along with various sciences, they were also made to learn and practice varied forms of Indian music and dance to develop their artistic skills. Especially after marriage, Indian women were supposed to wear intricate Indian Jewellery carved by indigenous artisans and Indian Jewellers, which is considered an auspicious symbol for their marital happiness. Indian cultural resources have served as some of the great means for searching attractive Indian Baby Names for the purpose of naming India kids.

In ancient India, kitchen was considered like a place of worship where the fire God resided and nourished the whole family. The exotic Indian cuisine has never failed to attract natives as well as foreigners, perhaps for the reason that India has an unending variety of Indian recipes known for their unique flavour.

After assimilating and nurturing an incredible diversity of people and cultures for millenia, India culture still remains an object of fascination for people the world over. Even today, objects of ethnic interest like unique Indian dresses, delectable Indian food recipes, sonorous Indian music and exotic Indian names represent the true identity of India.

In the modern context as well, India occupies a special place as the home to Bollywood, one of the largest film industries around the world which represents a unique cultural identity of the nation. Indian Masala Movies, as the commercial films are colloquially represented, have already been making waves across the world after breaking records at the Indian Box Office. An expansion of commercial cinema and a number of cross-over Indian movies have created a global craze for Indian Actors and superstars. The emergence of a whole new generation of Indian models in the India fashion industry has also made a great impact on the global media who have showcased their potential by winning a number of international beauty pageants.

India Flights

In India, Air or Aviation industry witnessed a boom in the recent years with the opening up of Indian skies to private airline operators. Indian flights connect Indian cities to various cities around the globe. National carrier Air India was recently in news for its amalgamation with Indian Airlines to form a new entity, National Aviation Company of India Limited. Indian Air Lines, once a key player in the India domestic flights sector, had to cede room to various other private players like, Jet Airways, Air Indigo or Indigo Airlines, Kingfisher Airlines India, Go Air India etc. Rise in fuel prices, lack of operator friendly policies of the government, inaccessibility of international routes to new entrants in the industry, etc. are the main impediments of growth of the Indian Airways industry. Air India Express is the low cost arm of the national carrier in the India airlines sector with 46 air routes in its ambit connecting 19 cities. After the merging of Air India Airlines with Indian the new name for the national carrier is Air India. Indian Airlines website has been reconstructed featuring the new face of the amalgamation.

India Tourism

Indian Tourism and India Travel offer experience of a lifetime to the traveler. An Indian holiday is a dream cherished by many around the world. Places like India - Kerala and India - Kashmir have been listed by many travel magazines and websites around the world as 'must visit places' of the world. With 12.32% increase in the number of foreign tourists visiting the country during the Jan-Sep 2007 period compared to the corresponding period the previous year, the Indian tours sector expects a promising future in the tourism sector. Various business activities related to India tourism has also helped the country reduce India unemployment rate. An Indian restaurant experience is a must for foreign and domestic tourists alike. Relish the Mughalai cuisine at the Indian restaurants in North India and spicy vegetarian meals on palm leaves in South India. Once on an India Vacation - Vijayawada, an important railway junction on the banks of river Krishna, don't miss out the south Indian breakfast with idly, chatni, dosai and vada. While Oberoi Hotels, Taj Hotels, etc. are the world-renowned chains of India hotels in the country, Indian restaurants like India Jones at Mumbai holds alive the traditional and modern Indian delicacies. India Habitat Centre, India International Centre, India Gate, Qutab Minar (also known as Qutub Minar), Lal Quila or Lal Qila, Siri Fort, Jama Masjid Delhi, The tomb of Safdarjung are a few must-visit places in the capital city of Delhi. Many Indian restaurants outside India have also been at the center stage for their popularity among the gourmets all around the globe. India Quay Restaurant Glasgow or India Quay, Glasgow; India Queen - Hanover, NH; India Quality Boston; India House Restaurant in New Jersey and India Palace at Santa Fe, New Mexico (US) are a few such popular Indian restaurants outside India. Indian yoga has also been an attraction for many a tourist from the West. Attend a few yoga classes in India in any of the numerous yoga mats, and learn a few yoga positions and yoga poses. You may need some simple arrangements to begin with. You may have to get special yoga pants and yoga clothes before you can be on your yoga toes. On an India yoga retreat, you'll literally feel relieved from the day to day stress of mind and you'd simply say, "Yoga works." For someone on an India Holiday, the most recommended India tour guide will be India - Lonely Planet.

Indian Economy

On the world economy scenario, the attention of many an investor, entrepreneur and economics expert have turned to a new destination in the East, India. Economy of this nation has recorded its highest growth in the recent years with the figure hovering above 9% for the third consecutive year in 2006-07. It's true that India exports have suffered a setback in their profits owing mainly to India fund from abroad in the form of Foreign Institutional Investment (FII), Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), Participatory Notes (PN), etc., whereby India exchange rate of US Dollar has depreciated more than 12% in less than one year. But India's forex reserve of $273 billion (as on Nov 2007) would definitely help the nation build long term infrastructure for its development. India mutual funds have also picked up tremendously as the investment hungry middle-class dares riskier pastures offering better growth prospects for the capital. India ETF or Exchange-Traded Funds are emerging as a good low-cost portfolio, diversified investment option for Indian stock market. At present India ETF have 5.8% market exposure. India stock market scene is stable and fool-proof thanks to the regulatory body SEBI. If India business news is anything to go by, Indian stocks are unlikely to be affected by the US sub-prime crisis. However, certain policy measures of RBI and Finance Ministry, like the proposed regulation on Participatory Notes or Overseas Derivative Instruments can make Indian stock market volatile. On the Indian income tax front, the government is contemplating an upward shift in the lower limit for tax exemption. The current limit of Rs.1,10,000 would be likely to be shifted to Rs.1,50,000. The current mark of Rs.2,50,000, above which the India income tax is 30%, will be pushed up to Rs.5,00,000. India IPO sector has also been witnessing a new enthusiasm. Buoyant India income tax regime, growing India GDP and increasing interest of the middle-class in India mutual funds, all characterize a strong economy poised to offer a bright future to nation. On India infrastructure front and on Indian agriculture front, the nation lag far behind many other growing economies and developed countries. An appreciation in the value of India currency has also been met with resentment among Indian exporters. India bank and other financial institutions have played the role of financial intermediaries between the investors and entrepreneurs. However, aggressive India bazaar or India market has solidified the purchasing power parity of the middle class alone and the different sections of rural population have been left out from the economic bonanza of the nation. Inclusive growth is yet a dream to be fulfilled by India. Stock exchange and India sensex need to reflect the rural reality of retarded agricultural growth. The government should not play back foot while curbing faulty money lending methods, corrupt bureaucracy and the prehensile middle-men in the procurement and sale of agricultural products. It should also support agriculture by ensuring better prices for the produces, renovating irrigation infrastructure, training farmers in better yield methods etc. Though mobile phones have reached even the Indian countryside, Money Order or government owned India post (Indian post) is the only method of money transfer to many of the rural regions in India. Banking system and ideals are yet to penetrate into rural India. Water supply in the urban areas is also a matter of concern in India. Water supply in the urban areas is also a matter of concern in India. Water has become a valuable commodity in the urban areas with the increasing urban population queueing itself behind an inefficient supply system. With public private partnerships, supply chains for safe drinking water can be constructed in urban India. One such case is the development of Kolkata water supply system by India KS2 or Western Knowledge Systems & Solutions India Pvt. Ltd., a leading redevelopment services firm and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Roy F. Weston Inc, US. The cost of water supplied through such chains also need to be standardized with water costs in other cities around the world. Depleting water resources, climate change and health problems were also on the high agenda of India Economic Summit 2007, jointly organised by World Economic Forum and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in December this year. For India, Kyoto Protocol in 1997 was a significant step in its fight against climate change. But at the end of United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali (Dec 2007), India's resolve seems to have diluted in line with the unresolved debates between developed countries of Europe and the US. As per 2001 Census, India literacy rate is slightly above 65%. In India, oil products like diesel, petrol, etc. is an area where successive governments play populism. Even when crude oil prices shot up in the international market, the government was hesitant to raise diesel, petrol prices in the domestic market. Indian Oil, a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) of Government of India also lags behind many of its competitors in the private sector when it comes to business expansion. India used cars market has always been on a rise in India, as the stigma on second hand automobiles and gadgets is not high in this country as it's in developed countries. Trade-in-off and exchange deals as the most common methods of buying and selling India used cars. Banks and financial institutions in India recover the default debit on an automobile by seizing the client's said vehicle, purchased using the bank loan, and reselling it in open market. Indian middle class, the workforce of the country with proportionately high purchasing power parity, is the future market for India cars. Tata's proposed Rs. 1 lac car, therefore, can be nothing but a success, given the demand for low cost family vehicles among this section of the population. In India, Lucas -TVS is in the fray to get the dealership of this upcoming car. India Xeta of Tata Indica has already been a hit in the country. On the India real estate front, much developments are in offing, especially in the fast expanding Indian cities. India property is an area in which foreign investments are ready for a plunge. Owing to the rising demands from commercial enterprises and city dwellers, many of the state governments have recently decided to make a deal with real estate agents in the cities to allow constructions on unused government owned land. The issue on the purchase of India properties for various SEZs or Special Economic Zones has also been properly dealt with when the eGOM or empowered Group of Ministers in India decided on the compensation package to be given to the uprooted families, proposing a limit to the amount of land that can be purchased for the SEZs. Measures have also been taken by India government to ensure the livelihood of the people who have sold their land for SEZ. India outsourcing has also been a chief attractor of foreign currency. Availability of English speaking workforce and efficient managerial efforts resulting in the cost cut of business processes have made India a favorite hub for business process outsourcing. According to an estimate, India in 2020 would be an economic power to reckon with owing to its expectedly high GDP and an overall improvement in its rank on the Human Development Index issued by United Nations Development Project (UNDP). Among various economic reforms that India has witnessed in the last decade, none other than the opening up of the retail sector to corporates would have made much difference in the India shopping experience. Traditional retail in the form of kirana stores or corner shops are likely to be affected. But with a growing customer base predicted for the country, these 'pop and mom' stores are unlikely to go extinct. All in all, an India unbound experience is evident in the recent overseas acquisitions of Indian majors like Tata and Mittal Steel. On the international trade front, strenghthening India - Japan trade relations as well as India - China and India - US trade relations are of much economic significance to the country.

India news

Being the second most populated country in the world, Indian news is characterized by the variety in its hue and color, in tune with the diversity of culture and populations that inhabit the country. India newspapers at the national level are in English, a language inherited by the nation from its colonial masters. An India newspaper in English is circulated widely among academicians, executives, researchers, lawyers and national politicians. On the other hand, a vernacular India news paper is widely circulated among blue-collar workers and house-wives. The Times of India, Hindustan Times and The Indian Express are the popular national dailies of India. Along with India daily, weekly and fortnight magazines like India Today and Frontline bring India latest news to the global audience. Once a government monopoly, India radio has now permeated even to the upper strata of the society, thanks to the technical finesse of private broadcasting and entertainment oriented programs. Growth of Indian TV also has followed a rising graph since its introduction in the country in 1956. While India TV, ndtv, Jain TV are a few popular television channels aired from north India, Jaya TV, Kairali TV, Asianet, India Vision Television Kerala, ETV Kannada, Surya TV, etc. are the popular channels from down south. A few news sites like India Journal, India Together, India X Roads and Meri News are famous for their analytical news items. To summarize, media in India is free of government shackles and the infrastructure, investment and professionalism in the sector can be compared to the media scenario of other developed countries in the world. Thus, global and local audience can always read, listen to, browse and view an India uncut to update their knowledge about this biggest democracy in the world.

Indian Cricket

The emergence of a brave new face of Indian cricket in the past few years has effectively answered all the critics who questioned the cricketing potential of India in the international arena. This new era of Indian cricket began with the string of victories which propelled India into the finals of 2003 World Cup. However, losing both of the India-Australia cricket matches in the tournament, India grew still more determined to realize the dream of becoming cricketing world champions. Soon, the introduction of new and dynamic players like MS Dhoni added immensely to the Indian bench strength and the fantastic victories scored by young Indian cricketers made India matches a craze all over the world. In 2007, the cricket euphoria in India reached new heights as the Twenty20 Cricket World Tournament began in the month of September. Keeping track of India live cricket score became an obsession with Indian Cricket fans and the cricket frenzy reached unprecedented levels as India kept winning against formidable rivals to reach the finals. Of particular interest in the series were India Vs Australia matches which India won in a convincing manner and the finals of India Pakistan cricket wherein the India related its arch-rival Pakistan to become first Twenty20 world champions. The comprehensive Twenty20 victory of India raised hopes of India going ahead to claim the top spot in cricketing world. The upcoming 2007 India Australia Cricket Series was considered a crucial decider of who will emerge as future champions of the game. People remained glued to their television sets to follow each development of India Vs Australia cricket in the series and each victory was celebrated with great joy all over India. After first game was washed out due to rain, Australia won the 2nd and 3rd matches against India despite a few brilliant efforts by Indian players. In India Vs Australia 4th ODI, however, the scenario changed completely as Australia fell 8 runs behind while chasing India score resulting in the first India win in the series. This victory compelled every cricket fan to keep track of India Vs Australia Live Score in each India Vs Aus match in the series. India-Australia Live telecast was watched by millions of subcontinental viewers during the historic India Vs Australia 2007 cricket series and internet sites registered great number of hits searching for the keywords of India Cricket Score and India Live Score, India Australia Match and India Australia Series. After losing the 5th and 6th India Australia Cricket matches, India lost all possibility of winning the series. In India Vs Australia 7th ODI, however, India staged a redeeming act and defeated Australia by 2 wickets in a stunning manner. It was not all, with a sole Twenty20 match yet to be played between India and Australia after the series. India easily defeated Australia by 7 wickets in this Twenty20 match with an unusual team effort which proved India's worth in this new format of the game and silenced all the critics who considered India's Twenty20 world cup win as a fluke. Indian cricket fans could not help watching India Vs Australia highlights of this match again and again as India celebrated its arrival as the new-age cricketing champions.

India Informations

India, a popular travel destination and a growing economic power in South Asia, is land-bordered by Bangladesh, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Burma and Pakistan. Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal are the country's other borders. India capital is New Delhi, a city state at the northern part of the country. Many multinational companies have their India office located at the major cities of the country, which include Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai. India info would be helpful for a traveler and India yearbook would be a useful guide for him in this regard. In India, local time of Allahabad meridian is considered IST or Indian Standard Time. India demographics has it that 72% of people are Indo-Aryans, 25% Dravidian and 3% are Mongoloid or other ethnic groups. Being a land of diverse cultures, religions and ethnicities, India national holidays are numerous. However, January 26 (Republic Day), August 15 (Independence Day), October 2 (Gandhi Jayanti, or Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi) are the major ones. These India Holidays 2007 fell on Friday, Wednesday and Tuesday respectively. Dual citizenship for its citizens is not allowed by the Constitution of India. Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) and persons with Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) are often referred to as India dual citizenship, but these are not the same. A person with OCI does not have voting rights and cannot hold constitutional posts like that of President, Judge of Supreme Court, etc. People with OCI cannot also posses an India Passport.

India & West

India - US nuclear deal is the India international news in vogue in the recent period even as the United Progressive Alliance government headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh struggles to pull through the hurdles raised by the coalition partners as well as the opposition NDA towards the deal. India nuclear deal, according to the Prime Minister and his party, Indian National Congress, will bring in a new era of economic and environment friendly power generation methods. If India US nuclear deal becomes a reality, the country will have market access to various civil nuclear technology and raw material, like enriched Uranium, from major countries like Canada, Australia, etc. apart from US. However, Russia is negotiating a similar bilateral deal with India similar to the latter's 123Agreement with US. This deal, which is in pipeline, will not have any binding to any domestic regulations of Russia as has been the case with 123Agreement wherein India is bound by the Hyde Act of the US once it signs the deal.

India Online

India, a geographical space to which many a traveler, trader and researcher has always taken troubles to make a journey, is also one among the first few countries that have marked their virtual presence on net. India online shopping and India online music have become a way of life for net savvy people within and outside India. While Indiamart and India Plaza are two among the main e-business sites that showcase incredible India products, India Yahoo and India Google have various sections on India related news, in addition to their India specific search engines and various other features. In India, GSM technology has witnessed an unprecedented advancement in the recent period such that once the issues in the licensing of 3G technology (or Third Generation technology) are sorted out, India broadband would reach the rural areas making a headway into the sphere of advanced mobile phone features like, internet access through mobile phones. Social networking sites like Orkut and Face Book and video sharing sites like (India) Youtube have already gained wide popularity among net surfers in India. In India, yahoo finance is also opted by many for updating themselves on developments in India finance sector. Network18 of CNBC Universe has integrated all its investor, management and corporate performance related news in Indiaearnings, whereas India bull run of the stock markets is truly captured by India Infoline, Indiabulls and Sharekhan. What more, talented youth in India need not remain waiting for opportunities to come to them anymore. India Ka Hero or IKH (means, the hero of India, in Hindi) provides a platform for all art, entertainment and music industry aspirants of the country to showcase their talents. India x Guru, India Dating and India Escorts are websites dedicated to romance. India FM or India FM.com, a division of Hungama.com, tracks the developments in the Indian film industry. For the televsion and cinema freaks of the country there is platform to discuss, argue and share all what they have seen anew. India Forums provides a platform for discussion and knowledge sharing among entertainment lovers, whereas India Forum has a sober look as it publishes analytical essays on Indian culture, history and society. India Express is a news site focusing on Indian movies, Indian celebrities and Indian cricket. India Glitz, as the name suggests, is a site for Indian movie trailers in various India languages. India Mike is a discussion forum for travellers. India Mike also allows travel related chat and travel related photo sharing. Similarly, there are websites that list India jokes pertaining to different spheres of life. India quotes, India quiz questions, India questions, Madhuri Dixit are also available online. India results.com is a site for publishing results of competitive exams in India. India result of Service Selection Board exams, University exams are published on India Results website. India images, India pictures and India wallpapers are also available online.

India country code

The growth in telecommunication technology has made it quite easy to make international calls nowadays. In order to make a call from US or Canada to India, one first needs to dial US Exit code followed by India Country Code or India Dialling Code, India Area Code and then the phone number. This process would translate in dialling 011(US Exit Code) +91(India Country Code or India Dialing Code)+area code(2-7 digit codes for places within India) +phone number which would connect a call to India. If one wants to make a cellular call from US or Canada to India one needs to dial 011(US Exit Code) + 91 (India Country Code) +network code(92, 93, 94, 97, 98) + cell number. One can also make international calls through internet which is facilitated with the help of international calling cards. India calling cards can be availed from a number of websites against payment of the fixed charges which depend on the length and distance of the calls to be made. After purchasing an India calling card one can easily make a call to India through internet which is quite economical as compared to the usual calls. For making calls from one state to another within India, one needs to know India STD Code for different states which needs to be prefixed to the phone number while making the call.

Indian jobs

The India job market is booming with the current growth of Information Technology sector and continual outsourcing of business process and knowledge process services to India. The most important contributors to this process include United States of America, Australia and other countries who find outsourcing a major chunk of services sector to India quite comfortable in terms of cheaper manpower and strengthening of international economic relations. In the process, however, Indian youth have gained a lot with mushrooming of new employment opportunities in call centers, customer relation services, content development services and IT sector. With the recent internet boom and continually increasing penetration of IT services in the Indian market, numerous Indian Job sites have come into existence to help young graduates and undergraduates find excellent job openings alongside more experienced workers. Some of the most popular India job sites include Naukri.com, Timesjobs.com, Monster.com amongst others. One can simply visit an India Job Site, sign up and search for the best openings for preferred industry within no time. This electronic revolution has helped accelerate the growth of India jobs as well as Indian economy in the process.

Indian Railways

Indian Railways constitute an important part of Indian transportation network with its extensive reach to remotest corners of the country. Railways emerge as the second most convenient and affordable means of traveling within India after road transportation which has by far the deepest reach in rural and remote corners of the country. However, the time consumed in traveling by rail as compared to road travel far outweighs the advantages in favour of the former. Indian Rail network is estimated to be carrying 16 million passengers and 1 million tonnage of freight daily which makes it one of the busiest in the world with about 1.6 million employees on its rolls. In India, Rail network is divided into 17 regional zones for administrative purposes which are further sub-divided for administrative convenience. Today, India Railway network has acquired high technological capability and is running normal passenger trains alongside express trains and super express trains for faster reach and convenient travel. One can easily book tickets in advance with the help of a highly sophisticated Indian railway reservation system being developed by India railways. Online ticketing, electronic ticketing and a number of other services are available through the websites of Indian Railways Indian Railways on the internet. One of the best services include the introduction of a new Tatkal Quota in the Indian Railways Reservation system which allows hassle-free booking of tickets at short notice.

Indian Visa

All foreign nationals except the citizens of Nepal and Bhutan require a valid passport and a valid Indian Visa for visiting the country. Another exception has been made in case of Maldives' citizens who do not require an Indian visa for visiting and staying in the country for a period of upto 90 days. The Consular Passport and Visa Division of the Ministry of External Affairs in India have the official authority for issuing Indian passport to Indian citizens and Indian Visa to foreign nationals. There is another exception in the case of NRIs or Non-resident Indians who hold OCI or Overseas Citizenship of India which eliminates any visa requirement for visiting India. There are 28 regional passport offices in India and 160 Indian High Commissions abroad which are invested with the authority of issuing Indian passport and Indian visa to Indian or foreign nationals. Some of the most important missions of India abroad include India Embassy, London (UK), Embassy of India, Athens (Greece), High Commission of India (Australia) and Indian Embassy in Washington D.C. (USA) amongst others.

India Embassy and India High Commission in foreign countries play an important role in regulating diplomatic relations between the two countries as well as facilitating provision of visa services. Depending on the purpose of visit, various kind of India Visas are issued by authorities which include Transit Visa, Tourist Visa, Student Visa, Business Visa and Employment Visa amongst others. The duration of legal stay in the country differs as based on the nature of visa issued. Against Business or Employment Visa, a Foreigner visiting India can be granted an India X-Visa which allows his or her spouse to visit the country without getting involved in any business or employment activities. Should the spouse wish to engage in any specific employment activity in India, an Employment Visa is required from their country of citizenship. It is a must for any Indian citizen living abroad to immediately surrender Indian passport with the respective India Consulate of the region in case of relinquishing Indian citizenship.

India maps

India is a vast country in the Southernmost portion of Asia which is bound by Indian Ocean in the South, Arabian Sea in the West and Bay of Bengal in the East and borders with Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, China and Bangladesh in the North, Northwest, Northeast and East. Physical India maps can serve as effective tools for understanding the geophysical and topological features of the Indian Sub-continent. An India outline map clearly defines the geopolitical outline of the country and India political map can help better understand the political boundaries and sub-divisions of the country for all practical purposes. In the physical map of India, earthquake prone regions (high risk) can be located as Himalayan region, parts of north Indian plains and parts of Gujarat (Kachchh, for instance). India has also witnessed some of the devastating earthquakes in these regions.

India is an immense country with more than a billion population which makes it necessary to have proper infrastructure in terms of power generation, industrial production, agricultural development and transportation. While lagging behind many developed countries of the world in terms of such an infrastructural development, India has made great strides in the areas of agricultural, technological and industrial development which has brought about the emergence of India as a future global power with immense potential. One of the key factors behind this rapid growth is development of transportation and communication infrastructure in India which has facilitated the growth of other important sectors. India road map is an excellent tool for understanding the Indian transportation network, which includes an immense road network covering almost whole of the sub-continent. However, Indian rail network and air travel network have emerged as virtual engines of economic growth in the modern times even while falling behind the road network in terms of geographical reach.

Indian law

The Law Commission of India under the aegis of the Ministry of Law & Justice in India is responsible for introducing India law reforms and implementation. The first Law Commission of Independent India was constituted in 1955 by the Government of India for democratic Indian law reforms in accordance with the directives laid down by the Constitution of India. The primary objective behind setting up of the Law Commission was to introduce suitable changes in pre-Constitution laws recognized by the Constitution of India under article 372, as and when required.

India Games

India is witnessing the emergence of a new league of gamers propelled by an internet and technology boom in the recent years. Indian gamers are not afraid of trying out the latest video-gaming and PC gaming products available in the market which has contributed greatly to the growth of Indian gaming industry. So far, however, the Indian gaming market is dominated by non-Indian global players like Sony and Microsoft who have created a niche for themselves in the global gaming arena. Some of the most sophisticated gaming products available in the market include PS 3 by Sony, Game Cube and Wii of Nintendo and Microsoft's Xbox 360. The launch of these hi-tech gaming consoles was preceded by phenomenal hype which did not fail to attract dedicated gamers' attention. In India, Xbox 360 sales figures may not have been among the best but the kind of gaming euphoria created around the game did not fail to benefit Microsoft's rivals as well by inspiring the interest of many non-believers in the world of gaming. Indian game developers are also chalking out their low-profile strategy which they plan to expand to a fuller scale and provide competition to the overseas players in the market within the next decade. India Games.com is a hub of online gamers.

India of my dreams

For many, India of their dreams is a place for equal opportunities, where all the talented people are given equal opportunities for growth irrespective of their caste, gender and economic and social status. Lessening of economic disparity across various social strata in the country is dreamt by many. While friendly ties with India and Pakistan as well as with India and other countries in the world becomes the priority for a majority, an improvement in living standards is the concern of all those who are Below Poverty Line at present. In India, democracy can be actualized at the true sense of the term if Indian politics can do away with casteism, vote bank politics, nepotism and criminalization. For many, this is the India of their dreams. Uncorrupted bureaucrary is a dream of many, especially who are into social activism, whereas undelayed justice and judicial activism are seen as an end and not as means by many towards the 'India of my dreams'.

Indian Restaurants Abroad

If one wants to experience the true enigma of India without having to visit the country, the best way is paying a visit to any of the Indian restaurants abroad. The sheer diversity of Indian cuisines and the wide range of taste palette available within any single cuisine is incredible in itself. Some of the aspects of Indian food which have held foreigners in eternal fascination include an all-too frequently spicy nature of the food and its extremely appetizing nature although low-spiced India food is a greater favorite in the west. Some of the worth visiting Indian restaurants abroad include India Quay Restaurant Glasgow, India House, Chicago India Queen, Hanover, NH, India Quality Boston, India Oven, San Antonio, Texas (US), India Palace, Santa Fe, New Mexico (US), and India House Restaurant, New Jersey amongst thousands of others.

India Defence

Indian Defence capability is ranked 4th in the world with the 2nd largest army at its command which is the only one entirely composed of volunteers. Despite being empowered for conscription, the Government of India never had to resort to the same even during the periods of aggression by Pakistan and China. The President of India himself serves as the Supreme Commander of Indian Armed Forces composed of Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force. In India, defence forces have grown from strength to strength after every major armed conflict and military operation in the past 60 years. In the current geopolitical context, India is faced with a complex array of internal as well as external security threats and the Indian Armed Forces are well-equipped to deal with them.