[Oak Bull]

Do you like India as an opportunity for large short term returns, or are you more interested in diversifying globally?

Many "experts" argue that India has a financial infrastructure that will be able to support more rapid economic growth than other "emerging" countries. Of course they could be wrong, although results have been pretty positive recently.

Another issue is how closely can you afford to manage your investment?

One advantage of using a general international or developing markets mutual fund is that the money will be actively monitered by the fund's management team. They will probably be more aware of the economic and political situations overseas than you can be, and will get out of certain countries or regions if things start to get ugly. Since emerging countries are generally more volatile than developed ones, this can be especially important.

Again, the first step is to determine what your objective is for this portion of your portfolio. There are many good options for participating in global economic growth, and choosing the right mix depends on the specifics of your situation.