Sir, Ed Smith (Opinion, Apr 4) quotes the historian Niall Ferguson as believing that India now has all the institutional structures it requires for continuing success, needing only to function “faster and more efficiently”.
This assessment is typical of a popular and monocular view of India that ignores its wilful neglect of vast numbers of its people. The caste system still exercises its malign and pervasive influence and countless millions have no access to clean water or basic sanitary provision.
This would shame an impoverished and undeveloped country, never mind a much-heralded tiger economy which, according to McKinsey, is heading for five-fold growth in the next 20 years.
Francis Casey
Chichester, W Sussex