India's 2004 National Elections

reportActive / Technical Report | Accession Number: ADA454697 | Open PDF

Abstract:

U.S. relations with India depend largely on Indias political leadership. Indias 2004 national elections ended governance by the center-right coalition headed by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and brought in a new center-left coalition led by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Following the upset victory for the historically dominant Indian National Congress Party led by Sonia Gandhi, Gandhi declined the post of Prime Minister in the new left-leaning United Progressive Alliance UPA coalition government, instead nominating her party lieutenant, Oxford-educated economist Manmohan Singh, for the job. As Finance Minister from 1991-1996, Singh was the architect of major Indian economic reform and liberalization efforts. On May 22, the widely-esteemed Sikh became Indias first-ever non-Hindu Prime Minister. The defeated Bharatiya Janata Party now sits in opposition at the national level, led in Parliament by former Deputy Prime Minister Lal Advani. A coalition of communist parties supports the UPA, but New Delhis economic, foreign, and security policies are not expected to be significantly altered. The new government has vowed to continue close and positive engagement with the United States in all areas. This report, which will not be updated, provides an overview of the elections, key parties, and U.S. policy interests.

Author(s):
Kronstadt, K. A.
Author Organization(s):
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WASHINGTON DC CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE
Descriptive Note:
Congressional rept.
Supplementary Note:
CRS Report for Congress.
Pagination:
0013

Security Markings

DOCUMENT & CONTEXTUAL SUMMARY

Distribution:
Approved For Public Release
Distribution Statement:
Approved For Public Release; Distribution Is Unlimited.

RECORD

Collection: TR
Identifying Numbers
Report Number(s):
CRS-RL32465
Monitor Series:
CRS/DC
 Subject Terms
Joint Capability Areas:
JCA_5_Command and Control; JCA_5.1.1_Establish and Maintain Unity of Effort with Mission Partners; JCA_5.1_Organize; JCA_5.5_Direct; JCA_5.5.1_Communicate Intent and Guidance; JCA_8_Building Partnerships; JCA_3.2_Engagement; JCA_3_Force Application; JCA_8.2_Shape; JCA_3.2.1_Kinetic Means; JCA_8.1_Communicate; JCA_6.4.1_Secure Information Exchange; JCA_1_Force Support; JCA_7.2.1_Mitigate Lethal Effects; JCA_7.2_Mitigate; JCA_7_Protection; JCA_8.1.1_Inform Domestic and Foreign Audiences; JCA_8.2.2_Provide Aid to Foreign Partners and Institutions; JCA_6.4_Information Assurance; JCA_6_Net Centric; JCA_8.2.3_Build the Capabilities and Capacities of Partners and Institutions
Communities of Interest:
Weapons Technologies
Descriptor(s):
*INDIA, *LEADERSHIP, *GOVERNMENT(FOREIGN), *ELECTIONS, *POLITICAL PARTIES, FOREIGN POLICY, COMMUNISTS, INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, ECONOMICS, NATIONAL SECURITY, UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
Field(s)/Group(s):
Government and Political Science
Keyword(s):
*PRIME MINISTER MANMOHAN SINGH, *UNITED PROGRESSIVE ALLIANCE, PRIME MINISTER ATAL BIHARI VAJPAYEE, UPA(UNITED PROGRESSIVE ALLIANCE), INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS, SIKH LEADERS, SIKH POLITICIANS, BHARATIYA JANATA PARTY, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER LAL ADVANI, LEFT FRONT, SONIA GHANDI, REGIONAL PARTIES
Report Date:
2004 Jul 12
Creation Date:
2006 Oct 11