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Relatively Terror-Free 2009 for India

25/12/09December 24, 2009

After the horror of the 26/11 terror strikes, India had a relatively terror-free year in 2009, attributed largely to the covert and overt measures the government undertook. The soft-spoken incumbent Prime Minister Manmohan Singh defied pollsters to spearhead a stunning victory for the United Progressive Alliance (UPA). And after several years of rapid economic growth, 2009 proved a testing year for India in the wake of global economic meltdown.

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Prime Minister Manmohan Singh won a second consecutive term in the 2009 general elections
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh won a second consecutive term in the 2009 general electionsImage: Fotoagentur UNI

The year started with blasts rocking Guwahati in the north-eastern state of Assam, killing six people on New Year's Day.

The government set up a National Investigation Agency (NIA) on the lines of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation to tackle terror and strengthened provisions in the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act, making it tougher for terror suspects to obtain bail.

But security expert Hartosh Singh Bahal said that India still had a long way to go shore up its capacities. “"I think it is far too early to state that we have improved our capacities. If we look back at the past year, the fact that we have not seen any terrorist attacks has more to do with our external circumstances than anything we have done internally.”

“The pressure on Pakistan, both because of the war in Afghanistan, changing circumstances in the relationship with America and their own political circumstances have ensured that no new attacks have been launched with the backing of the ISI. I think that is the primary reason for why we have not seen an escalation of terror.”

Congress-led United Progressive Alliance stormed to power

On the political front, the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance stormed to power again in the general elections and Manmohan Singh got a second consecutive term as prime minister.

Rahul Gandhi, the party's youth icon and a potential prime minister, was credited for his starring role in the elections and the revival of the party in Uttar Pradesh.

India won the day at the Academy Awards when Danny Boyle’s "Slumdog Millionaire" grabbed eight Oscars. Best Original Score and Best Original Song went to Indian maestro A.R. Rahman, who also performed at the event, and Best Sound Mixing went to Rasul Pookutty.

India was also in the world spotlight when Ratan Naval Tata, chairman of the 62 billion US dollar Tata group, handed the keys of a gleaming lunar silver-coloured Nano to its proud new owner, keeping his promise of delivering a "people's car" for only 2,500 dollars.

Economically, India did not limp along

Exports registered a sharp decline in 2009 as economists debated the extent of the impact of global meltdown on the economy. But despite dark clouds of gloom, India was doing well by the end of the year, said economist M.K. Venu.

"India has not limped along. It has done rather well. It is the second largest growing economy in the world after China. It is growing at 7 percent and that is largely because there is a lot of demand for housing, for automobiles, for white goods. This demand is being met and companies selling houses and automobiles are growing at 15 to 20 percent, which is unheard of in the West.”

All in all, it was a year of challenge, hope and stability and as it enters 2010, India hopes to consolidate these gains.

Author: Murali Krishnan
Editor: Anne Thomas