We finally visited India again after an eternity. The last time we went was in 2014. With our move to Japan, having kids and then COVID, it just wasn’t possible earlier.

A lot has changed in the intermittent period. One of my earlier posts here was an assessment of Modi’s first 100 days in power. Now it’s been 11 years. While Modi’s BJP has recently seen its majority clipped largely due to a poor showing in its “heartland” in the north, it still is the dominant political force in the country. And Modi’s political persona and divisive style have sadly become more commonplace in today’s world.

Anyway, our trip was a short one and not sufficient to dive back into politics again. Suffice it to say that the visual progress in Delhi is palpable. The roads are better, there are more metro lines, the middle class is expanding as evident by ubiquitous construction of large residential complexes in the outer fringes of the city. Alas, the air remains bad. Whether or not recent improvements mark a structural trend remains to be seen.

The occasion this time was a family wedding in Noida, just outside of Delhi. It was lovely to meet my wife’s family again in one place after so many years, having seen relatives in London, Tokyo, Bangkok and Sydney only intermittently since. It was a big trip for us four from Sydney. The six (now seven) year old was delighted to visit her mum’s home and learn more about her own heritage. And an Indian wedding has so much in store for little kids. The eight (now ten) month old was also happier than expected and slept reasonably well.

We realized how much we would love to live in India one day.