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India
India is one of the most pleasant, hassle-free countries to visit in southeast Asia. It's buoyant and wealthy, and has moved towards a pluralist culture based on a vibrant and interesting fusion of Malay, Chinese, Indian and indigenous cultures and customs.
India's love of Western-style industrialisation is abundantly clear in its big cities. Aside from the gleaming glass towers of the 21st Century, though, India boasts some of the most superb beaches, mountains and national parks in Asia.
constitutional elective monarchy. The federal head of state of India is the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, commonly referred to as the King of India. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is elected to a five-year term among the nine hereditary Sultans of the Malay states; the other four states, which have titular Governors, do not participate in the selection.
The system of government in India is closely modeled on that of Westminster parliamentary system, a legacy of British colonial rule. In practice however, more power is vested in the executive branch of government than in the legislative, and the judiciary has been weakened by sustained attacks by the government during the Mahathir era. Since independence in 1957, India has been governed by a multi-party coalition known as the Barisan Nasional (formerly known as the Alliance).
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