India

Amid a 21-day lockdown to help control the spread of the coronavirus, millions of workers in India's cities have no income, no food — and so are heading back to their villages.

Per capita, India has fewer hospital beds and ventilators than almost any country in the world. Medical professionals fear the government's promised $2 billion health care revamp will be too late.

"To save India and every Indian," Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the country's more than 1.3 billion people — with few exceptions — to stay in their homes for the next three weeks.

Police are accused of failing to protect Muslim citizens during deadly riots that erupted during President Trump's visit to India last month. More than 50 died in the violence.

The annual survey of the state of global freedom includes the world's two biggest democracies — India and the U.S. — among nations where freedom is declining.

As India is facing major tensions over a new law Muslims say discriminates against them, NRP's Scott Simon notes the country's history of rich religious diversity.

Although no major trade deal was produced during President Trump's visit to India, there were other signs of progress in the U.S.-India relationship, writes the Brookings Institution's Tanvi Madan.

Clashes began Sunday, when local officials from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist party vowed to clear anti-government protesters from the capital.

"America loves India, America respects India, and America will always be faithful and loyal friends to the Indian people," President Trump told a cheering crowd in a huge cricket stadium.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host Trump for a two-day visit starting Monday. As Gujarat's chief minister, Modi oversaw impressive economic growth. But he also presided over a dark chapter.

Dozens of Indians, most of them Muslim, have been killed by police in weeks of nationwide protests against a new citizenship law. Their families believe they were singled out because of their faith.

In December 10 children died within a 48-hour period — and that story made nationwide headlines. Politicians are casting blame — and the government is investigating.