Promising the good times

An overwhelming election victory promises to reshape Indian politics.

INDIA brims with colorful politicians, but none has quite the sense of political theatre of Narendra Modi of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He swept into Varanasi, India’s most ancient city, on May 17th pledging to clean the Ganges, its holiest and filthiest river. Three days later, in Delhi, BJP parliamentarians chanted and roared unanimous support for him, and he broke down in tears in mid-speech. After that he called on India’s president, Pranab Mukherjee, who agreed to swear him in as India’s 14th prime minister on May 26th.

India Election: What Narendra Modi’s Victory Means for the U.S. Economy?

Narendra Modi's victory in the Indian election is expected to improve trade ties between New Delhi and Washington and could eventually lift U.S. exports in industries ranging from pharmaceutical products to heavy infrastructure, U.S. officials and business leaders say.

Narendra Modi addresses a public rally Friday after his party won its biggest victory in 30 years on promises to revitalize the economy.

 

But the prospects for greater economic ties, which suffered in recent years under India’s ruling Indian National Congress, depend at least partly on relaxing U.S. diplomatic tensions with Mr. Modi. The Hindu nationalist politician has been blamed for mass violence against Muslims while he was governor of Gujarat, an issue that has made him ineligible for travel to the U.S. and prevented high-level contact with the U.S. State Department until earlier this year. Mr. Modi has said his government did its best to stop the violence against Muslims in 2002.