Anatomy of national elections

A number of countries, some of which face serious domestic problems, have held or will hold elections to choose new governments. Will the elections install governments that can solve the domestic problems of these countries and help improve regional and global security?

The general election in India, whose result will be known on May 16, has special importance for China. The new Indian prime minister will, no doubt, accord priority to boosting the country's economic growth and fighting corruption. If the National Democratic Alliance led by the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party wins the election, it will adopt policies (including foreign policy) to serve India's interests and strike a balance between China and the United States.

The Western media have highlighted the possibility of uneasy ties between the US and India if the BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi is elected head of the government. Modi was denied a US visa in 2005 for his alleged complicity in the 2002 riots in Gujarat province (where he was chief minister) in which more than 1,000 Muslims were killed. The Barack Obama administration, however, started softening is stance against Modi in February, when the US ambassador met with him. Officials in Washington have since said that whoever is elected India's next prime minister would be welcome to the US.