Political leadership in the second-wave countries will be crucial, and on this front, there is some good news. The epidemic is now recognized as a major threat to India's health and economy by elites throughout the country. As in China, where Premier Wen Jiabao took a stab against the stigma associated with the disease when he publicly shook hands with three AIDS patients in December 2003, India's political leaders have also demonstrated a strong commitment. Sonia Gandhi, leader of the ruling Congress party, represented India at a UN General Assembly special session and at the 15th International AIDS conference in Bangkok, where she and Nelson Mandela presided over the closing session. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, having spoken eloquently in private about the importance of preventing an HIV/AIDS catastrophe, has decided to take a more visible leadership role in combating the disease.
While the country's political leadership may be taking a more public stance, India's case also illustrates how an absence of social leadership can hamper efforts to counter the stigma attached to the disease. In addition to political figures, countries like India and China need a prominent cultural figure to do what American pro-basketball player Magic Johnson did in the United States: Come forward as a role model, and speak out against discrimination. The Indian film industry, a powerful cultural influence, has been slow to take up the HIV/AIDS issue. Despite the recent release of a feature film called Phir Milenge (We Will Meet Again), which addresses the AIDS issue, more needs to happen.