That a diverse country like India has succeeded for over half a century as a thriving democracy raises many questions about the relationship between cultural diversity and social and economic inequality; the robustness of some institutions and the weakness of others; the negotiation of political space ideologies and identities by the state political parties and civil society; the capacity of the state to redistribute wealth and alleviate poverty; and the perceptions of India on the global stage. The Oxford Companion to Politics in India provides answers through the most comprehensive survey of the Indian political system till date. The depth and breadth of issues covered range from elections to economic reforms; business and politics to redistribution and social justice; coalition politics to judicial activism; and foreign policy. The 38 incisive essays written by well-known experts have proved to be invaluable to students and teachers of political science sociology journalism history and public administration as well as general readers. This paperback edition with a new Preface revisits the enduring debates in Indian politics that will make this already popular text more accessible to students.