Understanding the concept of a developed country: The irony here is that there is no exact definition of a developed country. Let us take the Scandinavian countries like Sweden and Denmark as our standard for a developed country as they are democratic as well and rank higher than USA in various aspects. So it means a country with citizens having a very high income, low inequality, no poverty, sustainable living, very high literacy rate and a very good HDI can be considered developed. The rest comes by. India with its vast size and big population is actually an odd comparison subject with these small Scandinavian countries. But let's do it. Independence: India gained its independence in 1947. Countries like Sweden and Denmark were liberated way back. Modern Sweden is said to be established in 1523. Wondering about USA? USA became independent in 18th century. Independence is a very natural prerequisite for a country to grow to become developed. Let's say, India was late, s