Just as with most other aspects of India, the economy of the country is a mixed bag. Increasingly, travelers to India will find a growing economy with developing industries but also great poverty. Still, more and more, the image of a country that allows cows to walk freely through the streets while many of its inhabitants are starving is changing.

This is seen in the fact that India is ranked the 10th largest economy in terms of currency conversion and the buying power of the rupee, the nation's currency, is ranked fourth in the world. This is despite strict controls on its money supply. Tourists are not allowed to bring Indian currency either into or out of the country and anyone arriving with more than $1,000 (based on United States dollars) in foreign traveler's checks must obtain a certificate from Customs.

Per Capita

The large size of the Indian economy does not translate into a generally high standard of living. The average per capita income for the more than one billion citizens is less than $4,000. Of those citizens, one in four lives in poverty, but the growing middle class boasts more than 300 million. Much of this is due to the fact that India has become an increasingly popular destination for the outsourcing of high-tech jobs.

The large population also makes the country a popular place for industrial and manufacturing centers. The large number of big cities means lots of workers all living close together. Mining, textiles, and the petroleum industry are major employers. Agriculture, the traditional source of many of India's jobs, now accounts for less than 25 percent of the gross domestic product.

Exports

Textiles, gems, and agricultural products account for the largest share of the country's exports, but these are outstripped by its imports. Technology and software services are a growing segment of the country's export market also. Japan, China, and the United States, along with the United Arab Emirates are India's major trading partners.

An increasing product for exportation is the Indian film industry, known as Bollywood. More movies are produced and filmed in India each year than in any other country in the world. While movies hit the cinemas on a fast and furious basis, more and more Indian filmmakers are receiving acclaim internationally.