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Comment by thrwoe234343 | Hacker News Reader

Yes, but India's nominal GDP is half that of California; in fact India's GDP per-capita is lower than just about every country in ASEAN and East Asia. The entire country's GDP is similar to that of the Tokyo metropolitan area. The socio-economic indicators are actually more aligned with impoverished African nations.

These are clear indicators of state failure.

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True but not sure if you considered Power Purchasing Parity of Indians. India is able to manufacture most of the stuff for itself at the moment and hence everything is cheap in India. From basic things like soda cans that cost 10x less in India than the US to the same online services that also cost 10x less.

The GDP per capita might be less in terms of the US standards but the Power Purchasing Parity makes up for it plus we can't forget that the nominal GDP is still in Top 3/Top 5 in the world ( depends on what source you look at ).

India has a negative trade balance so still need "strong" currency to buy abroad, same thing for its citizens to travel and its companies to expand internationally. The size of the economy is nothing to sneeze at, but in the same way PPP gdp is more important than nominal for the average citizen, per capita is way more important than total GDP, that's the reason anybody would pick to live in the small economies of San Marino, Luxembourg, Monaco o Curacao over India or Nigeria.

You make an interesting point. However, India and Nigeria are starkly different, just food for thought. It's almost like comparing U.S with South Africa.

> However, India and Nigeria are starkly different, just food for thought.

No, they are not. GDP nominal per capita: India: 2000, Nigeria: 2000. GDP PPP per Capita, India: 6000, Nigeria : 5000

> It's almost like comparing U.S with South Africa.

GDP PPP per capita: US: 63000, South Africa: 12000. GDP nominal per Capita, US: 63000, South Africa : 5000

There's massive income disparity in India. Nominal per capita income for the richest state is nearly 9x of the poorest state.

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