18, RJD 17, Telugu Desam 12, SAP 12, CPI 9, BJD 9, Akali Dal
factions 8, Trinamool Congress 7, SHS 6, DMK 6, Janata Dal Party 6,
BSP 5, RSP 5, independents and others 44, vacant 8, appointed by the
president 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the
president and remain in office until they reach the age of 65

Political parties and leaders: Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP
PALIWAL (chairman), Chitta BASU (general secretary)]; Muslim League
factions representing Sikh religious community in the Punjab;
National Conference or NC (a regional party in Jammu and Kashmir)
NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: various separatist groups
seeking greater communal and/or regional autonomy; numerous
religious or militant/chauvinistic organizations, including Adam
Sena, Ananda Marg, Vishwa Hindu Parishad, and Rashtriya Swayamsevak
Sangh

International organization participation: AfDB, AsDB, BIS, C,
CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G- 6, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA (observer), IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO,
ITU, MIPONUH, MONUA, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, SAARC, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNOMIL,
UNOMSIL, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Naresh CHANDRA
chancery: 2107 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008;
note--Embassy located at 2536 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC
20008
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, and San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Richard F. CELESTE
embassy: Shanti Path, Chanakyapuri 110021, New Delhi
mailing address: use embassy street address
consulate(s) general: Calcutta, Chennai (Madras), Mumbai (Bombay)

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of orange (top),
white, and green with a blue chakra (24-spoked wheel) centered in
the white band; similar to the flag of Niger, which has a small
orange disk centered in the white band

Economy

Economy--overview: India's economy encompasses traditional village
farming, modern agriculture, handicrafts, a wide range of modern
industries, and a multitude of support services. 67% of India's
labor force work in agriculture, which contributes 25% of the
country's GDP. Production,