I think the one thing that India will forever be identified with in foreign eyes is the Caste System. The CASTE SYSTEM. The Caste System !!
I read some forums about the latest cricket scandal, and people are talking about how a country with a caste system cannot talk about moral standards. I read about Tata Motor's new $2,500 car, and people are talking about how this levels the playing field for a country with a caste system.
Other notions of elephants/tigers/beggars may well die out with economic development, but the caste system isn't going anywhere soon and this argumentum ad hominem will probably lead a long and fruitful life.

How do people keep track of caste in India anyway? Now that you need some caste verification to even get into IIT (gasp!), I assume this has been solved somehow. I don't remember seeing any document that said that I belong to so-and-so caste at all while growing up... whats to stop a dyed-in-the-wool brahmin from posing as an OBC-fellow to get into IIT?
What's that? You reel in horror? How dare I suggest that a brahmin needs any help getting into IIT? I'm sorry, I do apologize...

RIP, George Macdonald Fraser. You might run into Flashman's guardian angel up there, could you put in a word for me?