India’s catastrophic coronavirus second wave generated global headlines and unforgettable images as the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi struggled to cope with the full scale of the pandemic. But how has COVID-19 actually impacted India’s political scene and its previously fast-growing economy? Have Indian lawmakers and policy experts at the central and state levels learned the hard lessons needed to make sure tragedy doesn’t strike again amid fears of an impending third wave? Will the economy be able to bounce back? In this FCC Zoom event, we hear from three renowned experts on India: Yamini Aiyar, the president of New Delhi’s respected Center for Policy Research; Mihir Sharma, a Bloomberg Opinion columnist and fellow at India’s Observer Research Foundation; and Devaki Nambiar, a program head at Australia’s George Institute for Global Health, who has deep experience on Indian health issues. They discuss both the immediate and lasting impact of the virus on the country’s raucous politics, as well as its ever-volatile economy and its strained public health system. Moderated by FCC Correspondent Governor Iain Marlow.
