From Swadeshi to Atmanirbhar Bharat: The Evolution of India’s Idea of Self-Reliance

Abstract

Ever since Covid-19 induced supply chain disruptions and economic shutdown, several economies are rallying towards increasing protectionism. In India, there is a selfsufficiency angle added to that. 7his paper has tried to delineate the progression of economic nationalism in modern India – tracing its origins from the Swadeshi and Boycott Movements of 1905 C.E to the current Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. Part I focuses on the epistemology of Swadeshi, emphasizing its economic, political, and spiritual aspects. It highlights the interaction between indigenous production, protectionism, and nationalist fervour during a pivotal period in India’s national struggle against British imperialism. In Part II, there is an exploration of the links between Swadeshi and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative of the current NDA Government, dissecting convergences and divergences. It studies how both movements centre around the idea of self-reliance but acknowledges the temporal and structural disparities that differentiate them. It also questions the necessity of establishing any linkages at all, whether atmanirbharata can be considered a modern iteration of Swadeshi.