In this thoughtful and meticulously researched book, Salvatore Babones brings clarity to a debate on Indian democracy and the reasons it has survived for more than seven decades. Using comparative data and original historical analysis, he situates India within both global democratic standards and its own long institutional journey. Rather than offering simple praise or criticism, Babones reveals a system that is imperfect yet robust, pressured yet adaptive and deeply rooted in dharma. Salvatore Babones is an associate professor of sociology at the University of Sydney.