Vibrant democracy, steady hand: India’s quiet strength

India today stands as a large, stable, and mature democracy in a neighbourhood gripped by turmoil. Despite our own challenges, 1.45 billion Indians can take genuine pride in our democracy.

Sure, it’s not perfect, as many naysayers argue. But the very fact that we still manage to resolve street disputes without the State using its monopoly on overwhelming force speaks volumes about the maturity of Indian institutions. Take the farmers’ agitation for the repeal of the three Farm Acts, which laid siege to Delhi for a year. Eventually, the Acts were repealed, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi apologised to the farmers in a televised address. Satisfied, the farmers went back to their fields — and the Indian Constitution, which allows peaceful protest, was honoured in letter and spirit.