1990s in India

The 1990s were a historic decade in India. Economic growth rates increased as policies were liberalised, though not as quickly as in China. Urbanisation was also very slow compared to that in China. Rate of growth of population and fertility rates decreased. Infant mortality rates saw a good rate of decrease. Two polarising trends emerged in national politics – that of the politics of social justice based on caste which followed the implementation of Mandal commission report, and of the politics of religion based on Hindu nationalism, which was marked by demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992 and the subsequent communal riots.