<p>Lately India has been in the news forall the wrong reasons. Its once tigerish economy is growing atits slowest rate in more than a decade. Newspapers are filledwith ever more depressing stories of rape, official plunder andgut-wrenching poverty. To an outsider the headlines can seemsurreal: Last week the cabinet actually voted to allow convictedcriminals to serve in Parliament and state legislatures, beforebeing forced to back down.</p><p>Indians -- who know that almost a third of the members ofthe lower house of Parliament face criminal charges -- can bejaded about such things. But this kind of official brazennesscan hardly inspire confidence in companies looking to invest inIndia, which has long touted the rule of law as its one crucialadvantage over China.</p><p>And what about affluent Indians, who unlike foreigncompanies have a big stake in their country and society? Canthey really continue to ignore the chaos and dysfunction thatsurrounds them, the broken infrastructure and equally threadbarelaws? Can they thrive indefinitely in a country where mostpeople exist on less than $2 a day, where half the homes lacktoilets and three-quarters of the population doesn't have accessto safe drinking water? Broken Country</p><p>There is no question that India has great potential. Havingbuilt successful operations for more than one multinational inmy homeland, I know it's quite possible to navigate India'schaos and build profitable businesses here. Indeed chaos --which is really shorthand for corruption, poor governance,uncertainty and volatility -- is a defining feature not just ofIndia but also of many emerging markets. Global companies thatlearn to conquer it here will be well-prepared to succeedelsewhere.</p><p><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-10-02/india-s-wealthy-must-open-their-gates-and-fight-chaos.html">Keep reading...</a></p>