[Aside - did everyone know about this definition of Third World? Wikipedia has a pretty good article on it, but the last paragraph is a bit...off.]
[Aside from aside - did everyone read the Wikipedia entry on the Third World? That stuff about the Bandung Conference? It conjures for me a late middle-schoolish scene: the nerds getting together in science lab to decide how to respond to the emerging conflict between the jocks and the freaks. Nehru emerges as nerd-in-chief, articulating a principled and defiant stand that stirs the hearts (and, of course, the minds) of the nerd contingent. Quickly he is acclaimed as King of the Nerds, the nerds' best hope to make name for themselves in this tumultuous world. Almost as quickly he realizes what a beat-down he'd be in for as the most prominent nerd in the whole school. And he demurs, quietly.
It is not easy being a nerd.
Also, that last paragraph in the Wikipedia entry is off, right?]
Anyway, in practice this meant that India played both sides, a bit, but broke for the Soviets in some key respects - the air force had some indigenous planes but was, and somewhat still is, reliant on MiGs and other Russian aircraft, which were pitted against Pakistan's US - supplied F-86s in the 1970s.
From my stay in Delhi, it became apparent that this influence extended to architecture as well. Amongst the various multi-story buildings that dot the city, you see a lot of severe looking concrete buildings with blocky terraces and few windows.
Not that I really know about any of this stuff, but let's pretend I do.
The building pictured was a notable exception - concrete all right but really playful with its overhang and bulbous floors, looking like someone's first attempt at Tetris. I don't know what it is, I would guess apartments.
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