Key countries: India and Pakistan

stand out for their total power due to the billion population (1/6 of the world’s inhabitants), a huge economic potential, not yet used at full capacity. These countries have a large territory, diverse and rich natural resources, have a good scientific potential, and are nuclear powers.

However, in  these countries there is a very low level of urbanization,  more than half of their economically active population  is engaged in agriculture. The level of socio-economic development, production and consumption, incomes of the population also remain very low. The role of foreign capital in the development of the economy is small, especially in India.

The socio-economic development of India and Pakistan is complicated by the intractable political and territorial problems between these countries (the conflict over the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir), and the possession of nuclear missile weapons and the threat of their use in resolving the conflict causes a wary attitude of the world community towards them.