When talking about India’s booming economy, people often compare India and China. Given that both developing economies are growing at 8 or 9 percent a year, I think the inclination to make that comparison is understandable. But comparing the two countries is complex and, as I’ve learned, an area of extreme sensitivity here. On several occasions, without us mentioning the word “China” or drawing a comparison between the two countries, an interview would voluntarily say, “If you are going to compare India and China, you must remember we are two very different countries. We are a democracy and cannot do the things China does.”

Whether we were speaking with Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, Microsoft India Chairman Ravi Venkatesan or real estate developer Surendra Hiranandani, the China comparison elicited defensive overtones. Indians pride themselves on being the largest democracy in the world, but I think they also see that a democracy with a population of 1.1 billion people – and a coalition government to boot – faces hurdles that the Chinese government does not.

When Mr. Hiranandani wants to break ground on a project, he goes through a specific process for acquiring the land and financial backing to make it happen. And, as he joked when we spoke to him today, “If someone feels I’ve wrongfully kicked him off his property, he can take me to court!” But in China, he said, if the government wants to build a road through a village, they build it. No questions asked. No redress.

I do not think anyone here questions the democratic approach. But I do sense an urge to explain why certain aspects of the economy, such as infrastructure, are lagging behind China’s progress. However, as Microsoft’s Venkatesan said when we spoke to him yesterday, democracy here acts as an important relief valve. If there is unrest or discontent with the path the country is taking, the people can exercise their right to vote out those in power every five years. Democracy relieves the pressure.

Interestingly, though, a movement seems to be on the rise here that expresses discontent differently. Several of our interviews have mentioned that there is a growing extremist Maoist movement here gaining steam. One interview said about 150 districts around the country are threatened by these Maoist groups. They recruit young, dissatisfied Indians, usually in rural and farm areas, and provide them with education and money. I am too new to Indian politics to know what this means for India long term. But it strikes me that if a segment of the rural population is campaigning for an agrarian revolution, then the potential for a backlash to growth here is bigger than I previously thought. I cannot say how meaningful the backlash could or would be, but the fact that an extremist Maoist movement is afoot – and worrying some people here – surprised me.

Dana Greenspon is part of the NBR team traveling India to report for the upcoming NBR series and special, "India's Promise." For more info, check out the India's Promise Travelog.