The South Asian country has acquired de facto membership in the elite club of acknowledged nuclear powers, created more billionaires than any other country in Asia and become one of the world's most dynamic and fastest-growing economies.

India's economic boom is forecast to moderate in the next two years, with GDP growth slowing to 8.4% in 2007 and 2008 and to 7.9% in 2008 and 2009, from a record 9.4% in 2006 and 2007.

Online, the Indian government declared 2007 the "Year of Broadband," setting a goal of 20 million broadband users in 2010. However, according to the new India Online Overview report, eMarketer expects India to reach 10.5 million broadband households, or just over one-half the target, by 2011.



eMarketer also estimates that 25.5 million Indians used the Internet at least once a month in 2006 and expects India's online population to reach 33.2 million in 2007 and 71.6 million by 2011.



With just 2.3% of its citizens online in 2006 and 2.9% projected for 2007, India's Internet penetration is the lowest in the Asia-Pacific region.



India is often compared to China, but the number of Indians online is more comparable to Australia, a country with just 2% of India's population.

Nevertheless, according to comScore, India is the world's eighth-largest Internet population and its potential for growth is practically limitless.