essay on national integration of india

Importance of National Integration for Students and Children

500+ words essay on importance of national integration.

National Integration is the bond and togetherness between people regardless of their caste, creed, religion or gender . It is the feeling of oneness, brotherhood and social unity under communities and society in a country. National Integration helps to keep the country unified and strong from within despite the diversities. So, the importance of national integration can be from the fact that the nation which remains integrated. It will always progress on the track of development and prosperity.

What is the Importance of National Integration?

National integration plays a dynamic role in making the country as one. This happens only by uniting every section of society. It provides an equal opportunity for each citizen. It also offers an equal platform in terms of social, cultural and economic development .

National integration also helps to unite the minorities as well as gives them the freedom to live their life in their way without any interference. Thus National integration is also essential for the country’s development. Because the country with national unity will always flourish and develop.

Aims of National Integration

National integration principally aims at providing a better environment for the people of a country. Thus they can develop themselves in all the aspects. It also aids to bind multi-racial and multilingual country like India, which has people with diverse culture and tradition. It also multiplies the union of brotherhood amongst communities, societies and the people.

National integration also helps in keeping the stability of a country and adds up to its whole development. It supports to nurture communal harmony and fights casteism, regionalism, and linguism, etc. National Integration improves the feeling of loyalty and fraternity towards the nation. It unites the people in case of any national emergency.

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How to Promote National Integration?

As national integration demonstrates a crucial part in the development of a country, it becomes important to develop the feeling of national integrity among its citizens. Therefore, focus on all the sections of society and making them financially dependent will promote national integration.

This will help to promote economic integrity. This is one of the most important factors in promoting national integration. Tolerance and respect for other caste or religion also support to promote national integrity. Education, social and cultural unity, equality among people also helps to teach the feeling of national integration.

Advantages of National Integration

National integration plays a very important role in the political, economic, cultural and social dimensions of a country. It helps the country in the following ways:

• Promotes Social Harmony

National integration makes the people of a country be present in harmony. This works only by strengthening the social bond between them. It indorses brotherhood, peace, and tolerance among them.

• Unites the Nation

National integration aids to unite people of different race, caste, creed or thoughts and makes the country as a single entity. it strengthens the country and makes it powerful on the international platform.

• Increases Economic Growth

It is a well-known fact that the country has less internal matters and problems. They will always prosper and develop. The country which is united will always have fewer problems as compared to the country which is socially unstable.

• Promotes Loyalty for the Nation

National integration indorses loyalty of the citizen for the country. It aids to make people join hands and stand for the advancement of the country forgetting their petty issues.

Significance of National Integration in Modern Era

National integration plays a more significant role in modern times. Hence it has challenges like communalism, regionalism, linguism, etc. Global terrorism is also one of the major threats to national integration. While few people with radical thoughts convince the population and brainwash them. They provoke them against their motherland.

In the era of technological advancements and the accessibility of social media. It is very easy to get deceived. National integration helps to ignore these situations. It makes people intellectually mature and tolerant.

National integration is very significant for a country because it is seen many times in the history of mankind that the integrity of a nation fell in danger. It had confronted major challenges from within and also became a victim of foreign assaults. Hence national integration plays a significant role in making of a nation. It keeping it alive in history with sustained development.

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• Importance of National Integration Essay

Essay on Importance of National Integration

A bond of togetherness between people irrespective of their caste, creed, religion and gender is national integrity. This is a feeling of oneness and brotherhood in a country where diversity is the main ethos. National Integration keeps the entire country tote and strong, despite the differences in culture, language, and main livelihood. An integrated nation will always progress towards development and prosperity.

Aims of National Integration

A country like India has people from different cultures, languages and races and national integration not just aims to bind them together but also aims at giving them a better environment to live and prosper. 

National Integration helps in keeping the stability of the country and helps in its development. 

It nurtures communal harmony and fights casteism, regionalism and linguistic differences. 

It improves the feeling of loyalty towards the nation and aims at uniting people in case of emergency.  

National integrity focuses on all the sections of the society, thereby making them financially independent. 

Through it, the State aims to promote economic integration too. 

No foreign assault can ever break the back of a nation that is united in a true sense. 

Education, social and cultural unity, and equal access to all basic rights and amenities foster a sense of integrity in the citizens of a country.

Importance of National Integration

National integration plays a crucial role in the political, economic, cultural and social dimensions of a country. It helps the country in the following ways:

Promotes Social Harmony 

Due to national integration, the social bond between people strengthens in the country, thereby endorsing brotherhood, peace and tolerance among them.

Unites the Nation 

This unites people from a different race, caste, creed or thoughts, and makes the country a single entity, thereby strengthening the country and making it internationally powerful.

Increases Economic Growth

Since this country has the least internal matters and problems, the economic growth will prosper and develop.

Promotes Loyalty for the Nation

National Integration endorses the loyalty of the citizen to the country. It aids to make people join hands and stand for the advancement of the country forgetting their petty issues.

Significance of National Integration in Modern Era

National Integration plays a crucial role during modern times and challenges communalism, regionalism, linguism, etc. However, global terrorism is a major threat to national integration. Only a few people with radical thoughts convince the population and brainwash them. They provoke them against their motherland.

In the era of technological advancements and the accessibility of social media, it is very easy to get deceived. National integration helps to ignore these situations. It makes people intellectually mature and tolerant.

National integration is very significant for a country because it is seen many times in the history of mankind that the integrity of a nation fell in danger. It had confronted major challenges from within and also became a victim of foreign assaults. Hence, national integration plays a significant role in the making of a nation. It keeps the history of the country sustained with development.

National Integration in India is critical for increasing unity among all segments of society in a country like India, which is rich in diversity in many aspects of life. This article explains the role of the school system, film, individuals from the middle class, people from the working class, intellectuals, various multinational corporations, and the media in fostering national integration.

What is the role of education in national integration?

Education is important because it alters our views and ideas. Fortunately, India has had excellent educators both before and after independence. School instructors have an important role in developing the brains of the country's young children. Throughout history, several historical figures like Rani Laxmi Bai and Lal Bahadur Shastri, as well as iconic phrases such as 'Inquilab Zindabad,' have infiltrated our collective psyche.

 The syllabus developed by NCERT with the assistance of famous academics has also played an important role in developing the concept of India. Furthermore, students frequently relocate to other areas of the country to pursue further education at various colleges.

This has enabled young minds to think beyond their areas, castes, and religions. Universities around the nation, such as Delhi University, Jamia Millia Islamia, and Osmania University, to mention a few, have students from all over the country who, in a short period, acquire a pan-Indian mindset that transcends any cultural or ethnic boundaries. Unfortunately, our student enrollments in higher education institutions remain very low, with only about 12-13 percent of our population having access to higher education, whereas, in the United States, it is about 87 per cent, in Europe, it is more than 50 per cent, and in China, it is about 25 per cent.

 Thus, one may anticipate that shortly, with the establishment of private universities and government initiatives, higher education will not only become more accessible, but student enrollments in these institutions will also increase.

People from various cultural groups, as well as marginalized groups such as minorities, women, tribal groups, and so on, who had previously been alienated from the national mainstream, have gradually aligned themselves with the mainstream, owing largely to the efforts of an inclusive education system. "Right education available to everybody is arguably the primary solution for most of our maladies," said Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.

What is the purpose of national integration?

The goals of national integration are as follows:

Boost the sense of camaraderie.

Reduce religious, regional, racial, and cultural disparities.

Active and energetic dissemination of the ideals for which our country stands, particularly tolerance and peace.

Mobilize constructive societal forces in the interest of national unity and solidarity, and provide them with leadership, encouragement, and articulation.

Reduce homicides, massacres, and riots, among other things.

Contribute to the nation's development. Increase people's togetherness.

Middle-class, intellectual, and working-class contributions

It is vital to highlight that none of these classes can afford to be confined to a certain place. The middle class, for example, is a highly mobile society that regularly moves across states for business, school, or job opportunities. People from many cultural and regional origins have settled in cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune, and Calcutta, among others, and made these cities their homes. 

This segment of the middle class may readily relate to the concept of India. In Mumbai alone, one may see individuals from all across India, many of them have come there in pursuit of better possibilities. Although individuals transferring from smaller cities to larger ones encounter a variety of challenges, one of which is being classified as "outsiders."

Their will to stay and overcome the obstacles, on the other hand, reflects their faith in the notion of India. The same may be said about the working class. Similarly, intellectuals, by their liberal character, do not confine themselves to caste, class, religion, or location. They oppose the concept of competing values and instead work for the collaborative upliftment of humans and humanity. 

Since the emergence of consciousness of rights and oneness, there have been several instances where the whole intellectual community has spoken out against the state's arbitrary acts against people' creative expression, regardless of caste, creed, religion, or location. This creates room for diverse expressions within a unified India.

FAQs on Importance of National Integration Essay

1. What function does education play in promoting national integration?

Contributions to the formation of habits, attitudes, and character characteristics that would enable its residents to undertake the obligations of democratic citizenship and to confront all those fissiparous tendencies that impede the establishment of a wide, national, and secular worldview. National integration is a psychological and pedagogical process that involves the formation of a sense of togetherness, solidarity, and cohesiveness in the hearts of people, as well as a sense of shared citizenship and allegiance to the nation. It is intellectual integration that education may achieve.

2. What is the purpose of national integration?

 Boost the sense of camaraderie.

3. What is the role of the Constitution in National Integration?

Three features of the Constitution aided greatly in establishing national integration. The Preamble, which began with the letters "We the people of India," i.e. Bharat. Then there are the Fundamental Rights, which are established in the constitution and provide equal rights to all people, regardless of religion, region, caste, gender, creed, etc. The Directive Principles of State Policy, which direct states to take actions toward achieving equality, justice, and liberty for everyone. The Preamble's ideals will be formed through the Directive Principles of State Policy. When taken together, these three aspects of our Constitution strive to create conditions for an equal society in which individual liberties are protected.

4. What is the role of the Planning and Finance commission in National Integration?

National integration was aided by the Planning Commission, Finance Commission, Election Commission, UPSC, CAG, SC, HC, and other commissions. In addition, there are PSUs (Public Sector Undertakings) where staff from various regions of the country are picked through competitive tests. One may discover a mini-India in the residential townships of PSUs like SAIL, BHEL, NTPC, and others. They have had a significant impact in subverting regional sentiments. Recently, the Planning Commission, which has been superseded by the NITI Aayog, has expanded the notion of cooperative federalism, which strives to increase state engagement in nation-building. The Central Government, in its recent 14th Finance Commission proposals, devolved a larger portion (42 per cent) of the divisible pool of taxes to states, allowing them additional budgetary freedom. This demonstrates the Central Government's increased confidence in the role of states in nation-building.

5. What exactly is the significance of national integration?

National integration contributes to the stability and prosperity of the country. It promotes communal cohesion while combating casteism, regionalism, and linguistic distinctions. It fosters a sense of patriotism and strives to bring people together. In a country like India, people of all cultures, languages, and races coexist, and national integration attempts not only to bring them together but also to provide them with a better environment in which to live and develop. National integration is highly important for a country since the integrity of a nation has been threatened numerous times throughout history. It has faced significant internal obstacles as well as external assaults. As a result, national integration is crucial in the formation of a nation. It keeps the country's past alive via growth.

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Essay on National Integration for Students in English [500 Words]

January 1, 2021 by Sandeep

Essay on National Integration: The combined awareness and inclusiveness of countrymen with regard to their national identity is called national integration. The spirit of national feeling which unites people of different dialects, beliefs, religions, castes and languages is called national unity. It defines the political, social, economic and cultural dimensions of a nation. It also enlightens the duties and rights of citizens. In a lighter sense, it emphasizes on the customs and rituals of a country as a whole.

Essay on National Integration 500 Words in English

Below we have provided National Integration Essay in English, suitable for class 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10.

“United We Stand, Divided We Fall.”

A country can excel and prosper only when its citizens feel safe and stand as one. National integration refers to the feeling of togetherness and oneness that people of a country share despite differences in their caste, creed, religion, culture and region. National Integration Day is celebrated in India every year on the 19th of November. This date also marks the birth anniversary of India’s first female prime minister, Indira Gandhi . On this day many activities take place, including the National Youth Awards and National Integration Camps. People also come together to promote the spirits of love, unity and peace.

National Integration in the Indian Context

In a country which has been built on the concept of partition, it is incredibly challenging to achieve national integration. India is a multi-cultural, multi-lingual, multi-regional and multi-ethnic nation. Since the very beginning, the people of India have been divided. There were disputes regarding the national language of the country. When Hindi was declared to be the national language, it upset a lot of south Indians, and they denied to accept it.

Some protests and riots took place when a particular caste was not getting an OBC (Other Backward Class) status for the purpose of reservation. In this country, from the start, people have always tried to benefit at the expense of others. These differences are what our country aims at reducing and minimising. The citizens themselves should understand this and promote a sense of tolerance, consensus and brotherhood.

Features of National Integration

There are broadly four main features of national integration. The first and foremost feature is unity. A country is said to be united when its people join together and work towards the betterment of the nation. The second feature is the social homogeneity. A state is socially homogeneous when its people look past their various differences and treat each other as equals. Loyalty towards the country is the third feature. Commitment to a nation is shown by its people when they are devoted to its growth. The last element is giving everyone equal opportunities. Equal opportunities can exist only when there is no discrimination practised and prevalent.

Importance and Significance of National Integration

National integration plays an imperative part in each dimension; social, economic, political, cultural, emotional and ethical. Economic integration takes charge of the unified fight against evils like poverty, hunger and homelessness. Social integration ensures all citizens get social justice, social equality, liberty and fraternity. One fundamental objective of cultural integration is to preserve various traditions, languages, folk dances and beliefs that prevail in a country.

People are united emotionally or psychologically by the country’s history and its glory. They are integrated by their National flag, anthem, symbol, animal, mythological epic, etc. It promotes the development of unity. People are able to see past their petty differences and unite for a common motive and goal. It also fills the hearts of people with patriotism towards their country.

They feel that it is their moral duty as citizens to be loyal to it and protect their homeland. National integration also helps to curb and eradicate social unrest and chaos and brings about national peace. This peaceful coexistence between all citizens leads to them working more efficiently and hence improves the economic conditions as well as the growth of the country.

National integration also helps to remove fear from the hearts of people. Many times, during elections, we see riots happening when representatives of certain religions or castes are not elected. Thus, the coming together of people helps to overcome this and brings about with its political stability. It is also responsible for providing people with national direction while giving each person equal chances, and opportunities be it in jobs, elections, education, etc.

Ways to promote National Integration

Culturally diverse groups should respect each other’s differences. They should be tolerant of one another’s faiths and beliefs. There should exist a mutual understanding between them, and they should be sensitive to the other group’s religions and their practices. Every citizen should follow and implement the country’s ideology, as mentioned in the preamble. Justice, liberty, fraternity, equality and secularism should not be compromised with and should be sincerely respected.

All citizens should show respect wholeheartedly for things that hold national importance. The burden of promoting national integration also falls on the nation’s leaders and their actions. In a country like India, it is utmost essential to integrate all political differences between parties; big or small. National integration in a nation can also be promoted through the fair distribution of resources and education.

People will not feel as if they have been cheated of something that should have been theirs or belonged equally to them as well. The concept of inter-caste marriages can also help strengthen national integration. It helps in people becoming open and more accepting. They welcome individuals from other cultures into their immediate families, thus promoting the spirit of togetherness.

Essay on the National Integration in India

In this essay we will discuss about the National Integration in India. After reading this essay you will learn about:- 1. Meaning of National Integration 2. National Integration and India 3. Problems 4. Steps towards National Integration 5. Hindrances 6.   Measures.

List of Essays on the National Integration in India

Essay Contents:

• Essay on the Measures for Promoting National Integration in India

1. Essay on the Meaning of National Integration:

By national integration what is meant is that divisive forces should be contained and national and public interests should be kept above everything else. It is a process which helps in bringing discreet social and cultural groups together. It also helps in developing and evolving some basic values which can help in maintaining social order.

It is also a process which helps in establishing a national authority over regional authorities which may even have different social, cultural and political views. It is something which consciousness and mind and thinking can bring. In the words of Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, “Integration … is a thought which must go into the heads of the people. It is the consciousness which must awaken the people at large.”

Thus, it is both discreet and concrete. It is psychological and educational process which is based on feelings of unity and cohesion among the minds and hearts of the people.

In the words of Prof. Myron Weiner, “National integration implies avoidance of divisive movements that would Balkanise the nation and presence of attitudes throughout the society that give preference to national and public interest as distinct from parochial interests.” In other words national integration aims at developing sense of belongings, a feelings of togetherness and unity.

It means feeling of loyalty to the motherland. National integration can be said to have come when the people have feelings of togetherness and unity on the one hand and desire to build a strong and united country without one owns cultural, social and economic interests on the other. It means the congruence of diversities leading to a unity in which all the varieties and peculiarities are preserved.

2. Essay on National Integration and India:

India became free in 1947 under very peculiar circumstances. In the country there were communal disturbances and hatred among different castes and communities, which British rulers deliberately created to maintain their hold over India.

This policy of divide and rule resulted in disintegration of the nation and partition of the country. An important problem before the nation, therefore, was to forge a sense of national integration among the people of India, so that they forgot that they belonged to any region, caste or creed.

They should begin to realise that they belong to India as a whole. They should begin to feel that communal hatred, casteism were things of the past and that a new era in Indian political scene had begun. But the problem was not so simple.

The memories of the past and the type of the psychology being followed over the decades could not be easily forgotten. Casteism, regionalism and religion, along with language had very deep roots in Indian soil. Therefore, the problems which revolved round national integration were proving heavy weights on the whole political system.

3. Essay on the Problems of National Integration in Free India :

Soon after the partition of the country, the new government was faced with many serious problems, which provided disintegrating forces and those opposed to the growth of national integration on the one hand and those who wanted to see India a weak nation, on the other, an opportunity to play their role.

In India task of national integration became still more difficult because of vastness of the country and the people’s having heterogenous character.

It is difficult to approach them because difficult means of transportation and communication. Their loyalties for local leadership and illiteracy also stands on the way of national integration. India’s diversity has always stood on the way of maintaining of India’s unity because whereas nationalist forces are weak, powers interested in disunity are strong and powerful.

British government had been following for Centuries policy of divide and rule and it is not easy to remove its ill effects and to end the evil effects of policy of communal hatred.

But as political stability came in the country, there was a growing feeling among all sections of society, who were interested in the cause of unity of India, that without national integration India shall neither advance nor see prosperity nor modernity and was doomed to remain a backward nation

4. Essay on the Steps towards National Integration:

It was on 31st August, 1961 that the Lok Sabha passed a Bill about national integration. It provided that all those who promoted enmity or hatred between different religions, could be imprisoned for a period upto three years.

On September 4, 1961 another Act was passed by which it was provided that appeal to religious, racial, communal, caste or linguistic sentiments for electioneering purposes was unconstitutional and one who was found resorting to these, could be disqualified, if elected to a House of Legislature.

Beginning from September 28, 1961, for 4 days central government convened a conference on national integration, which in addition to Prime Minister was attended by some top ranking politicians, academicians, journalists and others. The Conference realised that political parties must follow a code of conduct, if national integration was to be forged.

It was because the parties promoted casteism, regionalism, etc., which stood on the way of national integration, for winning elections.

The Conference, therefore, evolved a code of conduct for political parties which provided that:

…. No political party should act in a manner by which existing differences between various castes, communities or linguistic groups either increased or tensions among these developed.

…. For redress of communal, linguistic and regional grievances, political parties should not resort to agitational methods.

…..No political party should disturb or obstruct meetings of any other political party.

…. The government should not put unnecessary restrictions on the working of political parties, in the name of maintaining law and order.

…. Political power should not be used to promote party ends.

Since language plays a big role in promoting national integration, it was proposed by the Conference that education should be transferred from state to the concurrent list.

The Conference set up National Integration Council with the object of drawing a code of conduct for general public, students and the press. It could also suggest measures for the redressal of grievances of minorities and dealing with the problem of fasts undertaken for political purposes.

The composition the Council being:

Prime Minister – Chairman

Union Home Minister – Member

Chief Ministers of State – Member

Chairman of University Grants Commission – Member

Leaders of Political Parties -7 Members

Educationists – 2 Members

Commissioner for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes – Member

Nominees of the Prime Minister – 7 Members

The Council made useful recommendations for national integration. It proposed setting up of two committees; one to deal with the problem of communalism and the other with separation. These were, however, not taken very seriously. Between 1961 and 1968 several communal riots broke out in the country and there were outbursts of violence on the basis of religion, region and caste.

Fissiparous tendencies and disintegrating forces became active and tried to get roots. It was felt that in case these were not timely checked, there was every danger that these might become of serious magnitude.

Second National Integration Conference:

In order to again ponder over the problem with all seriousness Second National Conference was held in Srinagar between June 20 to 22, 1968. The size of the Conference was increased by 20 more members, by adding representatives of business and trade unions.

The Conference viewed with considerable seriousness the growing power of disintegrating forces and appealed to all political parties as well as the press to discourage communal ill will as well as check the rise of forces which encouraged casteism, regionalism and communalism.

The press was appealed not to give publicity to such news. It also set up three different committees, one each dealing with regionalism, communalism and linguism. These committees which submitted their report at different times were of the view that intelligence net work should be spread which should watch as well as inform well in advance about the activities of disintegrating forces, so that these could be combated with strength.

The committees were of the view that such newspapers which promoted communal hatred should be arrested and the people who exploited religion, caste, region or language for their selfish ends should be given deterrent punishments. Thereafter several other committees were set up to look into the problem. But unfortunately nothing concrete came out of that.

Towards Insani Biradri:

But when all efforts were being made to bring national integration communal riots broke out in Ahmedabad. These being serious in nature attracted the attention of the nation. On 16th October, 1969, Standing Committee of National Integration Council appealed to all political parties and the press that they should launch a campaign against communal hatred.

It was of the view that Jana Sangh’s proposal of Indianisation of Muslims and exchange of population with Pakistan, as a solution to Hindu-Muslim problem was not healthy. It was sure to create communal disharmony and hatred. The nation had hardly recovered from the shocks of Ahmedabad riots when communal riots broke out at Bhiwandi, in May 1970. Again stress was laid on mass campaign to end communalism.

A National Convention against communalism was held with Late Jai Prakash Narayan, as its President. The convention was opposed to para military organisations like R.S.S. The All India Congress Committee at its June 1970 session passed a resolution stressing that in our secular society para military organisations like R.S.S. and Jamait-e-Islami had no place.

The resolution also said that the government should seriously consider whether such organisations should be allowed to continuously pollute Indian society with communal violence and hatred. It was also of the view that if in a particular area riots continued for 12 hours immediate officers should be held responsible for that.

If duration of riots was 24 hours in that case not only Inspector General of Police but both the Home Secretary and Chief Secretary should also be held responsible. State government should be held responsible if violence continued for a period of 48 hours and if during this period of 48 hours violence is not contained then central government should be exclusively held responsible for it.

In August 1970, a non-official organisation known as Insani Biradri came into being. The formation of organisation grew out of the visit of Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan to India. Jai Prakash Narayan became its President and Shiekh Muhammad Abdullah, its Vice-president.

The main idea of this organisation was to check forces of communal and national disunity and to bring about unity and understanding among all communities. Membership of this organisation was thrown open to all communities and people possessing any political ideology.

But from the very beginning Insani Biradri faced serious problems. As many as thirty-seven delegates felt that it had been so formed that communalism would get respectability and refuge. The Biradri was also unwilling to declare some parties as communal and thus to exclude them from the organisation.

In the opinion of these delegates these communal parties will incite communalism in the garb of Biradri. When no solution could be found out, these delegates left the organisation.

Another voluntary organisation Khudai Khidmat Gar on the pattern of Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan’s Red Shirt Band was also founded with the same object of combating violence. The aim of this organisation also was to rehabilitate riot affected people and to prevent communal violence.

Sampradayikta Virodhi Committee:

In order to check communal hatred and promote national integration in 1970, Mrs. Subhadra Joshi founded All India Sampradayikta Virodhi Committee. The Committee met from 11th to 13th December 1970. It was of the view that communal riots in the country were engineered by organised forces of communalism like the R.S.S., etc.

The aim of these forces was to disrupt secular democratic character of the country and in its place encourage communal fascist forces. It also demanded that those belonging to these parties should be^excluded from National Integration Council. It suggested ban on para military organisations. The Committee suggested the Muslims of India to flow in the main stream of national life and give up separatist tendencies.

National Integration Council Meet Again:

But communal forces in the country being too strong could undo the work of Sampradayikta Virodhi Committee when communal violence broke out both in 1971 and 1972 in some parts of the country. In 1973, there were riots in Delhi in which several houses were burnt and properties looted. This necessitated the Council to meet again in January, 1974.

The Committee recommended that:

(a) Bodies like Shiv Sena, RSS and Jamait-e-Islami, etc., should be banned,

(b) The recommendations about checking commercial violence should be implemented both in letter and spirit,

(c) Reading material to be used in educational institutions should be free from communal and anti-democratic over tones,

(d) Efforts should be made to expose and foil the efforts of communalists to disrupt and mislead working classes,

(e) All discriminations against minorities in all walks of life should be ended without delay.

In 1976, National Integration Council again met to ensure that there were no communal violences in the country.

The Council was of the view that:

(1) Efforts should be made to end the hold of obstructionists and extremist elements from the society.

(2) Every effort should be made to eliminate prejudices and suspicions about minority communities.

(3) The people belonging to various professions and faiths should be encouraged to mix freely.

(4) Mass media should be used to highlight the activities of those which brought different faiths together.

(5) Prime Minister’s 20-point programme should be sincerely implemented.

(6) Political parties should be asked to keep their hands off from the students.

(7) Demands of the students should be speedily looked into.

(8) Students of minority community should be given an opportunity to Join institutions of repute.

(9) Minority communities should set up voluntary organisations to advise young boys and girls of their communities about job opportunities.

(10) Those who are found discriminating against minority communities should be strictly dealt with.

(11) The guilty should be promptly punished and all cases of communal violence should be speedily investigated.

(12) Punitive fines in riot stricken areas should be imposed.

(13) Arrangements should be made for providing legal aid to weaker sections of society.

(14) Immediate arrangements should be made for the rehabilitation of communal riot victims.

(15) Communal situation in every state should be periodically reviewed.

(16) There should be total development of all regions, so that regionalism is effectively checked.

(17) Steps taken by the government to check communalism and regionalism should be given wide publicity.

In 1977, state of emergency was lifted and elections were held in the country as a result of which Janata government came to power. During its 29 months years stay in office, there were serious communal riots, in some parts of the country, including Aligarh, which drew the attention of the people. It set up a Minority Commission and wanted to set up a Human Rights Commission as well.

It, however, could not do much in this regards because of their short stay in government and in-fighting among the constituents which formed government.

National Integration Council (1980):

It was again in 1980 that communal violence broke out in the country. In August of that year trouble started on 2nd day at Moradabad and quickly spread to Delhi, Ahmedabad, Sambal Pur, Aligarh and in some other towns of U.P. In order to control the situation curfew had to be imposed in riot affected towns where army had to be called in.

In these riots several lives were lost, in addition to loss of property. It was feared that there was hand of some foreign powers behind these communal violences.

The Council was headed by the Prime Minister but its membership was increased. But some opposition parties, however, initially did not agree to its membership. In November, 1980 the Council met to discuss the problem, of communal disharmony, unrest in north-eastern region and need for a new education system.

The Council felt that for communal imbalances removal of social and regional imbalances was necessary. It was of the opinion that educational system should be overhauled to promote national integration. A standing committee should be set up to keep a watch on the activities of communal bodies. Two more committees were set up: one each to look after and suggest improvement in educational system and the other to find out the causes of frequent outbreak of communal riots.

It decided that integration committees should be set up at district level, with which prominent local leaders should be associated. Minorities should be given due representation in police force and the victims of communal riots should be soon rehabilitated. The committees were finally setup in March 1981 one each under the Chairmanship of then Home Minister Giani Zail Singh and Education Minister S.B. Chavan.

In 1985, National Integration Council was reconstituted. It recommended that all such processions which can create some problems should be carefully watched and their routes restricted. Adequate representation should also be given to minorities in services. In 1986, National Integration Council set up a 21 member committee to function on continuing basis. The Committee was assigned the responsibility of formulating both short as well as long term proposals for maintaining communal harmony and preserving national integrity.

On 3.2.1990, National Front government again reconstituted the Council, which had a strength of 101 members. In it representation was given to women, academicians, journalists and industry, in addition to politicians. It was to be presided over by the Prime Minister V.P. Singh. But Council did not prove effective firstly it had unwieldy size and secondly, the government did not last long.

In November 1991, P.V. Narsimha Rao government convened a meeting of reviewed National Integration Council (NIC) meeting in the background of Ram Janam Bhumi-Babri Masjid dispute, but no useful purpose was served by that.

5. Essay on Hindrances on the Way of National Integration in India:

The problem therefore, arises as to why communal violences break out from time to time in spite of the fact that no party, individual or organisation preaches that. Moreover, in the past when China and Pakistan invaded India, whole nation, the people belonging to all castes, communities, religions and regions stood like a solid rock to check aggressions.

They forgot their differences in every manner. There was a scene of perfect national integration. Some of the important causes which stand on the way of national integration have already been discussed. What need be remembered is that it is a multi-dimensional problem Centre-state relations on the one hand and mutual State relations on the other create problems which result in regionalism, religionism and communalism of serious magnitude.

These have political dimension. Inter State tensions over distribution of water resources and territories too have political dimension. There is also problem of uneven distribution of available resources among the states by the Centre, it is alleged.

Similarly the problem has economic dimension because there are no well developed and scientific economic perspectives for the minorities. Mixed economy and unhealthy economic competition too strains national integration process. India’s heterogeneous character in socio-cultural field is largely responsible for hindering the whole process of national integration.

6. Essay on the Measures for Promoting National Integration in India:

If it is desired that communal violence should be checked and national integration promoted for that it is very essential that anti-communal and secular organisations should be constantly on the watch. All what has been happening till now is that such committees and councils come to the front only when there are disturbances.

These become active, make certain valuable suggestions, and thereafter become inactive and come to the front again only when violence again breaks out. These bodies should regularly and periodically meet and review the situation.

Then another drawback has been that whenever, violence breaks out, the ruling parties blame the opposition parties and feel satisfied that these have done their duty and washed off their hands before the people. This perhaps is no solution to the problem. It should be investigated thoroughly as to what were the causes which provided these forces an opportunity exploit the situation. Efforts should be made to plug these as well.

Still another remedy could be that ruling parties should try to end regional imbalances. In addition, the grievances of minority communities should be promptly redressed before it is too late. Regional imbalances, if any, should be immediately removed before these become the grievances.

It may also be examined whether for national integration big or small states are more conducive and effective.

A Minority Commission has already been set up to recommend measures and steps for improving the conditions of minorities and to the way in which communal disturbances should be checked. This Commission should be given real powers and its recommendations should also be seriously taken into consideration and implemented.

The strength of the National Integration Council should be so fixed that view point of all those who are concerned with the problems are presented but at the same time it does not become unwieldy or merely a talking Council. It is hoped that recommendations of this Council will receive government’s full attention, particularly when it is headed by Prime Minister.

Concerted and continued efforts, both on long and short-term basis, could alone check malady and end this national ill. For this sincere efforts, both on the part of governmental and non-governmental agencies are urgently needed.

Intelligence network should be strengthened so that the government comes to know about evil plans of disintegrating forces well in time.

Inter-state and Centre-state relation should not be allowed to get strained. As soon as these arise immediate steps should be taken to settle these.

Regional imbalances should be checked and industrial growth should be used as a method of checking these imbalances.

Educational system should be so re-structured that from the very beginning importance of the national integration is fully appreciated in this regard.

It is very important that in this regard policy of communal appeasement and electoral gains and losses should not be allowed to play their part. Those who pay lip sympathy to the cause of national integration should be exposed to the masses.

Organisations should be set up with the aim of spreading composite culture of India.

Different cultural streams should be allowed to meaningfully inter act with each other.

Mass media should be used for promoting the process of national integration.

Such religious rituals which injure the feelings of any other community should not be allowed to practice. Intermingling of cultures should be given all encouragement.

Economic inequalities among various sections of society should be removed at the earliest.

The things should be so arranged that minorities begin to flow in the main national stream without any reservation.

National policies once framed and finalised should be made applicable to all communities without any consideration for personal law of the communities, so that there is no grudge in any way.

Powers should be centralised to the extent possible taking needs of national unity and integrity into consideration.

The governments both at the centre as well in the state should effectively portray their secular character.

Efforts should be made to end sense of insecurity among the minorities. No culture should be forced on the other. Those who in bulge forcible religious conversions should be immediately punished.

Regional language literature should be scanned and material conducive for national integration should be wisely and meaningfully used.

Youth and students of different regions should be provided facilities to frequently mix with each other.

These steps can go a long way in promoting national integration but real integration will come only when the people develop a sense of patriotism and love for the nation, when there is end of feelings of distrust for each other and all flow unitedly and as a body in national main stream. The very approach of the people, particularly those belonging to minority communities will have to be changed.

Related Articles:

• Essay on Communal Violence in India
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National Integration Essay

National integration is a powerful way to bind a country together. People take pride in belonging to a nation, and national integration boosts their sense of belonging. It also allows for more efficient government and business practices. In short, national integration is vital for building a strong nation. Here are a few sample essays on “National Integration”.

100 Words Essay On National Integration

National integration is an effective tool for bringing people together. Everyone in society is different in one way or another, but they come together based on common interests. The central concept behind national integration is not to group people based on language, religion, caste etc. When considering a large country like India, this term has vast importance. It is because India has more than 19500 mother tongues, more than 700 tribes, five major religions and a lot of other diversity. If integration is not done, it may lead to tension between communities, resulting in a lack of coordination and riots in the nation.

200 Words Essay On National Integration

National integration brings together people from different backgrounds to build a unified and peaceful community. It is about accepting that each individual is different from the other and has unique qualities. Thus, no one should be forced into any group or category, and they should have a feeling of nationalism. There are many ways of achieving it.

Achieving National Integration

The first step to achieve national integration is to help people identify who they are and how they are valuable to a nation. The second step would be to reduce the gap between the communities, and the third step is to bring them together to achieve a common objective.

If a nation's communities are not united, it can lead to riots and crises. This imbalance will slow down the nation’s economy’s development and lead to devastating effects, further inflating the gap between communities. Here a government can motivate its citizen to work collectively.

Why It Is Important

National integration has a lot of benefits for a large country like India. It helps maintain the nation's stability and maintains a constant development curve. It promotes harmony in the country and unites the people. It creates a feeling of patriotism and motivates the communities to work for the nation. Thus we can conclude that National Integration is necessary for the development of any country in modern society.

500 Words Essay On National Integration

National integrity is a shared identity that unites a population regardless of background, ethnicity, religion, or gender. Moreover, this sense of unity and brotherhood exists in a society where tolerance and acceptance of difference are central values. Despite the diversity of the country's people in terms of culture, language, and primary means of subsistence, national integration maintains the country as a whole solid and united. When a country's institutions are strong, it is far more likely to see economic growth and technological advancement.

Aims Of National Integration

National integration in a country like India, with its many ethnic, linguistic, and religious minorities, seeks to do more than merely bring its citizens closer together.

It maintains national stability and fostering its growth are both aided by increased national integration.

It encourages cooperation and counteracts discrimination based on race, ethnicity, religion, or language.

It strengthens patriotism and brings the population together in times of crisis.

Importance Of National Integration

Integration at the national level has far-reaching effects on a country's economy, society, and culture. Here are some ways it may help a country:

Promotes Social Harmony | A peaceful country is one in which its residents have achieved national integration. To do this, their relationships with one another are fortified. As a result, friendship, harmony, and mutual understanding are fostered.

Unites the Nation | National integration is essential to unite a country's diverse population behind a common flag. It helps the nation become more robust and present a more confident image abroad.

Fosters Economic Growth | It is generally accepted that a nation with no significant internal problems will always succeed and progress toward expansion. Discord and disorder are less likely to arise in a unified nation.

Belongingness To The Nation | Individuals are more likely to be patriotic if they feel they are contributing to the country's greater good. By diverting attention away from individual problems, it encourages citizens to band together and take a position for the betterment of their nation.

Modern-Day Importance Of National Integration

Integrating nations into one modern whole are crucial. Regionalism, communalism, and linguistic diversity are only a few obstacles it faces. The threat of international terrorism is one of the most significant obstacles to global harmony. Only a few radicals can influence and brainwash the majority. They turn them into enemies of their own country.

It is easy to be misled in today's era of instantaneous communication and the widespread use of social media. By integrating as a nation, we can lessen the likelihood of incidents like this. In the long run, it leads to greater intellectual maturity and tolerance among the populace.

Example: GST

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) is a model of fiscal federalism and national integration. It's proof positive that India's federal democracy is functioning. It was made feasible by the central government working closely with the state governments and all political parties. This integration by the higher authorities motivates people to contribute to the nation’s development by funding it through GST.

National integration is essential for growth. It is crucial since separate nations tend to disintegrate throughout history. Unity must withstand the harshest pressure without fracturing," remarked Mahatma Gandhi.

Explore Career Options (By Industry)

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Bio Medical Engineer

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Data Analyst

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Geothermal Engineer

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Remote Sensing Technician

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Remote sensing scientists use remote sensing technology to support scientists in fields such as community planning, flight planning or the management of natural resources. Analysing data collected from aircraft, satellites or ground-based platforms using statistical analysis software, image analysis software or Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a significant part of their work. Do you want to learn how to become remote sensing technician? There's no need to be concerned; we've devised a simple remote sensing technician career path for you. Scroll through the pages and read.

Budget Analyst

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Underwriter

An underwriter is a person who assesses and evaluates the risk of insurance in his or her field like mortgage, loan, health policy, investment, and so on and so forth. The underwriter career path does involve risks as analysing the risks means finding out if there is a way for the insurance underwriter jobs to recover the money from its clients. If the risk turns out to be too much for the company then in the future it is an underwriter who will be held accountable for it. Therefore, one must carry out his or her job with a lot of attention and diligence.

Finance Executive

Product manager.

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Operations Manager

Individuals in the operations manager jobs are responsible for ensuring the efficiency of each department to acquire its optimal goal. They plan the use of resources and distribution of materials. The operations manager's job description includes managing budgets, negotiating contracts, and performing administrative tasks.

Stock Analyst

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A Researcher is a professional who is responsible for collecting data and information by reviewing the literature and conducting experiments and surveys. He or she uses various methodological processes to provide accurate data and information that is utilised by academicians and other industry professionals. Here, we will discuss what is a researcher, the researcher's salary, types of researchers.

Welding Engineer

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Transportation Planner

A career as Transportation Planner requires technical application of science and technology in engineering, particularly the concepts, equipment and technologies involved in the production of products and services. In fields like land use, infrastructure review, ecological standards and street design, he or she considers issues of health, environment and performance. A Transportation Planner assigns resources for implementing and designing programmes. He or she is responsible for assessing needs, preparing plans and forecasts and compliance with regulations.

Environmental Engineer

Individuals who opt for a career as an environmental engineer are construction professionals who utilise the skills and knowledge of biology, soil science, chemistry and the concept of engineering to design and develop projects that serve as solutions to various environmental problems. 

Safety Manager

A Safety Manager is a professional responsible for employee’s safety at work. He or she plans, implements and oversees the company’s employee safety. A Safety Manager ensures compliance and adherence to Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) guidelines.

Conservation Architect

A Conservation Architect is a professional responsible for conserving and restoring buildings or monuments having a historic value. He or she applies techniques to document and stabilise the object’s state without any further damage. A Conservation Architect restores the monuments and heritage buildings to bring them back to their original state.

Structural Engineer

A Structural Engineer designs buildings, bridges, and other related structures. He or she analyzes the structures and makes sure the structures are strong enough to be used by the people. A career as a Structural Engineer requires working in the construction process. It comes under the civil engineering discipline. A Structure Engineer creates structural models with the help of computer-aided design software. 

Highway Engineer

Highway Engineer Job Description:  A Highway Engineer is a civil engineer who specialises in planning and building thousands of miles of roads that support connectivity and allow transportation across the country. He or she ensures that traffic management schemes are effectively planned concerning economic sustainability and successful implementation.

Field Surveyor

Are you searching for a Field Surveyor Job Description? A Field Surveyor is a professional responsible for conducting field surveys for various places or geographical conditions. He or she collects the required data and information as per the instructions given by senior officials. 

Orthotist and Prosthetist

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Pathologist

A career in pathology in India is filled with several responsibilities as it is a medical branch and affects human lives. The demand for pathologists has been increasing over the past few years as people are getting more aware of different diseases. Not only that, but an increase in population and lifestyle changes have also contributed to the increase in a pathologist’s demand. The pathology careers provide an extremely huge number of opportunities and if you want to be a part of the medical field you can consider being a pathologist. If you want to know more about a career in pathology in India then continue reading this article.

Veterinary Doctor

Speech therapist, gynaecologist.

Gynaecology can be defined as the study of the female body. The job outlook for gynaecology is excellent since there is evergreen demand for one because of their responsibility of dealing with not only women’s health but also fertility and pregnancy issues. Although most women prefer to have a women obstetrician gynaecologist as their doctor, men also explore a career as a gynaecologist and there are ample amounts of male doctors in the field who are gynaecologists and aid women during delivery and childbirth. 

Audiologist

The audiologist career involves audiology professionals who are responsible to treat hearing loss and proactively preventing the relevant damage. Individuals who opt for a career as an audiologist use various testing strategies with the aim to determine if someone has a normal sensitivity to sounds or not. After the identification of hearing loss, a hearing doctor is required to determine which sections of the hearing are affected, to what extent they are affected, and where the wound causing the hearing loss is found. As soon as the hearing loss is identified, the patients are provided with recommendations for interventions and rehabilitation such as hearing aids, cochlear implants, and appropriate medical referrals. While audiology is a branch of science that studies and researches hearing, balance, and related disorders.

An oncologist is a specialised doctor responsible for providing medical care to patients diagnosed with cancer. He or she uses several therapies to control the cancer and its effect on the human body such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy and biopsy. An oncologist designs a treatment plan based on a pathology report after diagnosing the type of cancer and where it is spreading inside the body.

Are you searching for an ‘Anatomist job description’? An Anatomist is a research professional who applies the laws of biological science to determine the ability of bodies of various living organisms including animals and humans to regenerate the damaged or destroyed organs. If you want to know what does an anatomist do, then read the entire article, where we will answer all your questions.

For an individual who opts for a career as an actor, the primary responsibility is to completely speak to the character he or she is playing and to persuade the crowd that the character is genuine by connecting with them and bringing them into the story. This applies to significant roles and littler parts, as all roles join to make an effective creation. Here in this article, we will discuss how to become an actor in India, actor exams, actor salary in India, and actor jobs. 

Individuals who opt for a career as acrobats create and direct original routines for themselves, in addition to developing interpretations of existing routines. The work of circus acrobats can be seen in a variety of performance settings, including circus, reality shows, sports events like the Olympics, movies and commercials. Individuals who opt for a career as acrobats must be prepared to face rejections and intermittent periods of work. The creativity of acrobats may extend to other aspects of the performance. For example, acrobats in the circus may work with gym trainers, celebrities or collaborate with other professionals to enhance such performance elements as costume and or maybe at the teaching end of the career.

Video Game Designer

Career as a video game designer is filled with excitement as well as responsibilities. A video game designer is someone who is involved in the process of creating a game from day one. He or she is responsible for fulfilling duties like designing the character of the game, the several levels involved, plot, art and similar other elements. Individuals who opt for a career as a video game designer may also write the codes for the game using different programming languages.

Depending on the video game designer job description and experience they may also have to lead a team and do the early testing of the game in order to suggest changes and find loopholes.

Radio Jockey

Radio Jockey is an exciting, promising career and a great challenge for music lovers. If you are really interested in a career as radio jockey, then it is very important for an RJ to have an automatic, fun, and friendly personality. If you want to get a job done in this field, a strong command of the language and a good voice are always good things. Apart from this, in order to be a good radio jockey, you will also listen to good radio jockeys so that you can understand their style and later make your own by practicing.

A career as radio jockey has a lot to offer to deserving candidates. If you want to know more about a career as radio jockey, and how to become a radio jockey then continue reading the article.

Choreographer

The word “choreography" actually comes from Greek words that mean “dance writing." Individuals who opt for a career as a choreographer create and direct original dances, in addition to developing interpretations of existing dances. A Choreographer dances and utilises his or her creativity in other aspects of dance performance. For example, he or she may work with the music director to select music or collaborate with other famous choreographers to enhance such performance elements as lighting, costume and set design.

Social Media Manager

A career as social media manager involves implementing the company’s or brand’s marketing plan across all social media channels. Social media managers help in building or improving a brand’s or a company’s website traffic, build brand awareness, create and implement marketing and brand strategy. Social media managers are key to important social communication as well.

Photographer

Photography is considered both a science and an art, an artistic means of expression in which the camera replaces the pen. In a career as a photographer, an individual is hired to capture the moments of public and private events, such as press conferences or weddings, or may also work inside a studio, where people go to get their picture clicked. Photography is divided into many streams each generating numerous career opportunities in photography. With the boom in advertising, media, and the fashion industry, photography has emerged as a lucrative and thrilling career option for many Indian youths.

An individual who is pursuing a career as a producer is responsible for managing the business aspects of production. They are involved in each aspect of production from its inception to deception. Famous movie producers review the script, recommend changes and visualise the story. 

They are responsible for overseeing the finance involved in the project and distributing the film for broadcasting on various platforms. A career as a producer is quite fulfilling as well as exhaustive in terms of playing different roles in order for a production to be successful. Famous movie producers are responsible for hiring creative and technical personnel on contract basis.

Copy Writer

In a career as a copywriter, one has to consult with the client and understand the brief well. A career as a copywriter has a lot to offer to deserving candidates. Several new mediums of advertising are opening therefore making it a lucrative career choice. Students can pursue various copywriter courses such as Journalism , Advertising , Marketing Management . Here, we have discussed how to become a freelance copywriter, copywriter career path, how to become a copywriter in India, and copywriting career outlook. 

In a career as a vlogger, one generally works for himself or herself. However, once an individual has gained viewership there are several brands and companies that approach them for paid collaboration. It is one of those fields where an individual can earn well while following his or her passion. 

Ever since internet costs got reduced the viewership for these types of content has increased on a large scale. Therefore, a career as a vlogger has a lot to offer. If you want to know more about the Vlogger eligibility, roles and responsibilities then continue reading the article. 

For publishing books, newspapers, magazines and digital material, editorial and commercial strategies are set by publishers. Individuals in publishing career paths make choices about the markets their businesses will reach and the type of content that their audience will be served. Individuals in book publisher careers collaborate with editorial staff, designers, authors, and freelance contributors who develop and manage the creation of content.

Careers in journalism are filled with excitement as well as responsibilities. One cannot afford to miss out on the details. As it is the small details that provide insights into a story. Depending on those insights a journalist goes about writing a news article. A journalism career can be stressful at times but if you are someone who is passionate about it then it is the right choice for you. If you want to know more about the media field and journalist career then continue reading this article.

Individuals in the editor career path is an unsung hero of the news industry who polishes the language of the news stories provided by stringers, reporters, copywriters and content writers and also news agencies. Individuals who opt for a career as an editor make it more persuasive, concise and clear for readers. In this article, we will discuss the details of the editor's career path such as how to become an editor in India, editor salary in India and editor skills and qualities.

Individuals who opt for a career as a reporter may often be at work on national holidays and festivities. He or she pitches various story ideas and covers news stories in risky situations. Students can pursue a BMC (Bachelor of Mass Communication) , B.M.M. (Bachelor of Mass Media) , or  MAJMC (MA in Journalism and Mass Communication) to become a reporter. While we sit at home reporters travel to locations to collect information that carries a news value.  

Corporate Executive

Are you searching for a Corporate Executive job description? A Corporate Executive role comes with administrative duties. He or she provides support to the leadership of the organisation. A Corporate Executive fulfils the business purpose and ensures its financial stability. In this article, we are going to discuss how to become corporate executive.

Multimedia Specialist

A multimedia specialist is a media professional who creates, audio, videos, graphic image files, computer animations for multimedia applications. He or she is responsible for planning, producing, and maintaining websites and applications. 

Quality Controller

A quality controller plays a crucial role in an organisation. He or she is responsible for performing quality checks on manufactured products. He or she identifies the defects in a product and rejects the product. 

A quality controller records detailed information about products with defects and sends it to the supervisor or plant manager to take necessary actions to improve the production process.

Production Manager

A QA Lead is in charge of the QA Team. The role of QA Lead comes with the responsibility of assessing services and products in order to determine that he or she meets the quality standards. He or she develops, implements and manages test plans. 

Process Development Engineer

The Process Development Engineers design, implement, manufacture, mine, and other production systems using technical knowledge and expertise in the industry. They use computer modeling software to test technologies and machinery. An individual who is opting career as Process Development Engineer is responsible for developing cost-effective and efficient processes. They also monitor the production process and ensure it functions smoothly and efficiently.

AWS Solution Architect

An AWS Solution Architect is someone who specializes in developing and implementing cloud computing systems. He or she has a good understanding of the various aspects of cloud computing and can confidently deploy and manage their systems. He or she troubleshoots the issues and evaluates the risk from the third party. 

Azure Administrator

An Azure Administrator is a professional responsible for implementing, monitoring, and maintaining Azure Solutions. He or she manages cloud infrastructure service instances and various cloud servers as well as sets up public and private cloud systems. 

Computer Programmer

Careers in computer programming primarily refer to the systematic act of writing code and moreover include wider computer science areas. The word 'programmer' or 'coder' has entered into practice with the growing number of newly self-taught tech enthusiasts. Computer programming careers involve the use of designs created by software developers and engineers and transforming them into commands that can be implemented by computers. These commands result in regular usage of social media sites, word-processing applications and browsers.

Information Security Manager

Individuals in the information security manager career path involves in overseeing and controlling all aspects of computer security. The IT security manager job description includes planning and carrying out security measures to protect the business data and information from corruption, theft, unauthorised access, and deliberate attack 

ITSM Manager

Automation test engineer.

An Automation Test Engineer job involves executing automated test scripts. He or she identifies the project’s problems and troubleshoots them. The role involves documenting the defect using management tools. He or she works with the application team in order to resolve any issues arising during the testing process. 

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• National Integration Role Of Constitution And Institutions

National Integration: Role of Constitution and Institutions

In this article, you can read about national integration and the role of the Constitution and the various institutions.

The Constitution

There were three aspects of the Constitution which helped immensely in promoting national integration. The very first was the Preamble , beginning with the letters, “We the people of India”, i.e. Bharat. Then, the Fundamental Rights , enshrined in the constitution, that guarantee equal rights to all- irrespective of religion, region, caste, sex, creed, etc. The Directive Principles of state policy that directs states in taking steps towards bringing equality, justice, liberty to all. The ideals of the Preamble are to be established through the Directive Principles of State Policy. It is these three facets of our Constitution, when read together, aim at creating conditions for an egalitarian society in which individual freedoms are secure.  

Uniform civil/army/judicial administration

The services which we inherited from the British, which we continued with some changes after independence that included IAS (Indian Administrative Service), IPS (Indian Police Service) and IFS (Indian Forest Service). Through AIS (All India Services), a candidate say from Bengal, would have had to serve in say, Gujarat. Those from Gujarat would have had to work in Karnataka, and so on. Generally, the tenure of service would be around 30 to 35 years. Most often such candidates would travel to the state of their posting with their families, and settle in that particular state during a certain period- thereby mixing with the local culture and assimilating many of its cultural traits. These services have contributed towards national unity and integration. Thus, the idea of India is based on a very good ‘sangam’, or union and is thus is based on the idea of fusion rather than fission. Even in the Indian armed forces, jawans and officers are recruited from different parts of India- often their family members come from diverse cultural backgrounds, and often one sees members within the same family belonging to different regions, and sometimes even following different religions. This has also contributed towards making regional identities less important when it comes to the National identity. The presence of a unified judiciary in the country, with a single hierarchy of courts with the Supreme Court at its apex, upholds the basic tenets of our Constitution which enforces equality before law, and has been a refuge for civil society as a whole to voice their concerns. Recent innovations taken up by the Judiciary has further deepened the idea of Justice for all that reaches all sections of society and providing an effective stage to the aggrieved citizens of the country in the form of Public Interest Litigations (PILs) that have brought the attention of the larger public towards key issues.  Also, judicial activism has further strengthened the principle of ‘checks and balances’ between the other two pillars of Governance, namely, the legislature and the executive, often shaping more just and equitable public policies.

Role of Planning and Finance Commission

Planning Commission, Finance Commission, Election Commission, UPSC, CAG, SC, HC etc. helped in national integration. Over and above this, the PSU (Public Sector Undertakings), where workers, who come from different parts of the country, are selected on the basis of competitive exams. In fact, one finds a mini-India in the residential townships of PSU’s such as SAIL, BHEL, NTPC, etc. They have played a major role in subverting regional feelings. Recently, the Planning Commission being replaced by the NITI Aayog, has further strengthened the concept of cooperative federalism that seeks to achieve greater involvement of states towards nation building. The Central Government, through the recent 14 th Finance Commission recommendations, devolving a greater share (42%) of the divisible pool of taxes to states, thereby granting them greater fiscal space, has reposed greater faith in the role that States play in nation building.    

Railways and Communication

One witnesses the diversity of India when one travels by the Indian railways. In fact, one witnesses different classes of people, spanning across the length and breadth of the country. The geographical extent of India becomes visible through the fact that, if one removes Russia from the map of Europe, India is bigger than Europe. The process of railway development in the Indian context rapidly increased from 1858 onwards. Statistics show that, the pace at which the rail network increased was more than 900 kms per year. However, after independence, the average rate of growth of the rail network has been around 300 kms per year. It can be observed that with increasing rail network penetration, even remote extremities of our country were connected with each other thus increasing people-to-people contacts within the country. The railways hasn’t only been an effective vehicle for movement of cargo and people within the country, but, since its inception, and even during the days freedom struggle where it played a key role, continues to be a medium of cultural and emotional exchange of thoughts and ideas to this very day.   The huge telecom reform and revolution in India has helped in strengthening people-to-people contacts. These days, we have many telecom service providers such as BSNL, Airtel, Vodafone, etc. Mobile technology today isn’t restricted to the affluent class of society, but has been made accessible to the people at the bottom of the social pyramid. This has played a key role in promoting national integration by connecting a large section of our population, bridging the communication divide.  

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Need, Problems and Challenges to National Integration in India

National integration implies the spirit of one nation despite diversity of castes, creeds, religions, languages and regions. The feeling of unity and harmony among societies and communities is essential for the strength and progress of any country. It deepens mutual relations among all the people of living in a country. In fact, national integration strengthens the identity of a nation.

National integration is very important for a vast and diverse country like India. To make people aware about the importance of national unity, National integration Week or Qaumi Ekta Week is celebrated every year from November 19 to November 25. Moreover, November 19 which is also the birthday of India’s first woman Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, is also celebrated as National Integration Day.

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India is a country where people of different religions, cultures, traditions, and creeds live together. So because of these variations, differences among the people over some issues are likely to emerge. National integration works as a thread which ties the people in oneness despite all such differences. It the beauty of this country that a festival related to any religion is celebrated together with all the communities participating in it. The people visit each other’s places to meet, greet and congratulate them on religious occasions. This is why India is known as a country with unity in diversity.

Problems and Challenges to National Integration in India

India is a country of immense diversity comprising various languages, religions and castes, etc. Groups of people in India differ from each other on the basis of all these features. Moreover, castes are further divided into sub-castes and the languages are divided into dialects and most importantly religions are also divided into sub-religions.

Thus, it is natural that India presents an endless variety of cultural patterns because it’s a vast country with a large population. But at the same time, it is also true that unity amidst diversity is also visible in India. The major problems and issues impacting national integration are as following:

• Ethnic diversity

India is made of a number of diverse groups and so its diversity poses a latent threat to the unity of the country. The Indian society has always been divided in terms of caste, creed and religions and languages. The British had also benefited out of these in their intention of dividing the country. The divisive tendencies were manifested sharply during the nationalist movement for freedom which, ultimately, resulted into throwing out of the British from India, only because of the efforts of national leaders such Mahatma Gandhi, Subhash Chandra Bose, Lala Lajpat Rai, Vallabh Bahi Patel and many more towards national integration.

• Communalism

Narrow attitudes prevailing over diverse religious identities are among major threats to the national integration. Politics in our country is the prime reason why people become prisoners of different regional identities. Even in our country some of the states have also been formed on the basis of different languages connected to some particular religions. Communalism fans the differences among people on the basis of religions. Though our country is a secular county and treats all the religions equally, still sometimes communal conflicts erupt leading to tragic loss of lives and properties.

• Cultural differences

Cultural differences sometimes also become a major bottleneck in the path of national integration. It is already visible in the form of differences between the northern states and southern states which often foster mutual discord and animosity among people. Leading to agitations and protests.

• Regionalism

Regionalism or provincialism is also a major obstacle in the path of national integration. Notably, after the attainment of independence in our country, the ‘States Reorganisation Commission had divided the country into fourteen states in the context of the various features of the administration and the public. Ill-consequences of that division results are visible even today with new states formed on provincial grounds and the rising demand for more such states. The narrow sense of provincialism in different states of the country is increasing leading to social disharmony among people.

• Linguistic Differences

India is a vast country where different languages ​​are spoken. Though there is nothing wrong with having the diversity of languages but obsession with one’s own language and intolerance towards other languages creates an obstacle in the path of national integration. It is a fact that the people come close to the other only through language, which necessitates a link or national language which can tie the whole country together. Unfortunately, so far we do not have a single language that can serve as a medium of communication throughout the country from Kashmir to Kanyakumari.

Casteism has already been considered as a social evil; still the people remain divided over their caste identities. Caste continues to play a decisive role in politics. Even though the reservation of seats in government jobs and educational institutions has been given to pull the disadvantaged people into mainstream, but it has sometimes also resulted into conflicts and agitations on the basis of castes, posing a threat to national integration.

We also see that during elections, people generally gives their votes in view of the religion and caste of the candidate, and not based on the person’s the ability and qualification. After the election, when political power is in the hands of a particular class, it tries to benefit people of that class or own religion, to the detriment of others.

• Economic disparity

Along with social diversity, economic disparity is also found in our country. While the rich who are not in a large number are getting richer, the majority of poor people are finding it increasingly difficult to make both ends meet. This rising gap between the rich and the poor is leading to mutual animosity among them. All this lack of brotherhood and harmony does not allow the feelings of national integration to take roots.

• Lack of leadership

Right kind of leadership is essential for fostering the spirit of national integration among all sections of society. But to fulfil their vested interests, social and political leaders stir up feelings of ethnicity, provincialism and sectarianism. Shiv Sena in Maharashtra seeks to promote its political agenda by taking up the interests of only Marathi-speaking people and instigating the residents of the state against people migrating from the states of their origin. This apart, we have very few leaders who command pan-India respect with an ability to unify the people of the whole country.

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Essay: The New Idea of India

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This article appears in the Spring 2024 print issue of FP. Read more from the issue.

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From the middle of April until early June, staggered over the course of several weeks, the world’s biggest election will take place. More than 960 million Indians—out of a population of 1.4 billion—are eligible to vote in parliamentary elections that polls strongly suggest will return Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to power for a third consecutive term.

Modi is probably the world’s most popular leader. According to a recent Morning Consult poll , 78 percent of Indians approve of his leadership. (The next three highest-ranked leaders, from Mexico, Argentina, and Switzerland, generate approval ratings of 63, 62, and 56 percent, respectively.) It is not hard to see why Modi is admired. He is a charismatic leader, a masterful orator in Hindi, and widely perceived as hard-working and committed to the country’s success. He is regarded as unlikely to turn to nepotism or corruption, often attributed to the fact that he is a 73-year-old man without a partner or children. Modi has few genuine competitors. His power within his party is absolute, and his opponents are fractured, weak, and dynastic—a quality usually equated with graft. Whether it is through maximizing his opportunity to host the G-20 or through his high-profile visits abroad, Modi has expanded India’s presence on the world stage and, with it, his own popularity. New Delhi is also becoming more assertive in its foreign policy, prioritizing self-interest over ideology and morality—another choice that is not without considerable domestic appeal.

Modi’s success can confuse his detractors. After all, he has increasingly authoritarian tendencies: Modi only rarely attends press conferences, has stopped sitting down for interviews with the few remaining journalists who would ask him difficult questions, and has largely sidestepped parliamentary debate. He has centralized power and built a cult of personality while weakening India’s system of federalism. Under his leadership, the country’s Hindu majority has become dominant. This salience of one religion can have ugly impacts, harming minority groups and calling into question the country’s commitment to secularism. Key pillars of democracy, such as a free press and an independent judiciary, have been eroded.

Yet Modi wins—democratically. The political scientist Sunil Khilnani argued in his 1997 book, The Idea of India , that it was democracy, rather than culture or religion, that shaped what was then a 50-year-old country. The primary embodiment of this idea, according to Khilnani, was India’s first prime minister, the anglicized, University of Cambridge-educated Jawaharlal Nehru, who went by the nickname “Joe” into his 20s. Nehru believed in a vision of a liberal, secular country that would serve as a contrast to Pakistan, which was formed explicitly as a Muslim homeland. Modi is, in many ways, Nehru’s opposite. Born into a lower-caste, lower-middle-class family, the current prime minister’s formative education came from years of traveling around the country as a Hindu community organizer, sleeping in ordinary people’s homes and building an understanding of their collective frustrations and aspirations. Modi’s idea of India, while premised on electoral democracy and welfarism, is substantially different from Nehru’s. It centers culture and religion in the state’s affairs; it defines nationhood through Hinduism; and it believes a powerful chief executive is preferable to a liberal one, even if that means the curtailment of individual rights and civil liberties. This alternative vision—a form of illiberal democracy—is an increasingly winning proposition for Modi and his BJP.

Hindus represent 80 percent of India’s population. The BJP courts this mega-majority by making them feel proud of their religion and culture. Sometimes, it aids this project by stirring up resentment of the country’s 200 million Muslims, who form 14 percent of the population. The BJP also attempts to further a version of history that interprets Hindus as victimized by successive hordes of invaders. Hindus hardly comprise a monolith, divided as they are by caste and language, but the BJP requires only half their support to win national elections. In 2014, it secured 31 percent of the national vote to gain a majority of seats in Parliament—the first time in three decades a single party had done so. It did even better in 2019, with 37 percent of the vote.

An illiberal, Hindi-dominated, and Hindu-first nation is emerging, and it is challenging—even eclipsing—other ideas of India, including Jawaharlal Nehru’s.

At least some part of the BJP’s success can be attributed to Modi’s name recognition and tireless performances on the campaign trail. But focusing too much on one man can be a distraction from understanding India’s trajectory. Even though Modi has acquired a greater concentration of power than any Indian leader in a generation, his core religious agenda has long been telegraphed by his party, as well as by its ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a Hindu social society and paramilitary group that counts more than 5 million members. While Modi has been the primary face of the BJP since 2014, the party itself has existed in its current form since 1980. (The RSS, to which Modi traces his true ideological roots, is even older. It will mark its 100th anniversary next year.) The BJP’s vision—its idea of India—is hardly new or hidden. It is clearly described in its election manifestos and, combined with Modi’s salesmanship, is increasingly successful at the ballot box.

Put another way, while India’s current political moment has much to do with supply—in the form of a once-in-a-generation leader and few convincing alternatives—it may also have something to do with shifting demand. The success of the BJP’s political project reveals a clearer picture of what India is becoming. Nearly half the country’s population is under the age of 25. Many of these young Indians are looking to assert a new cultural and social vision of nationhood. An illiberal, Hindi-dominated, and Hindu-first nation is emerging, and it is challenging—even eclipsing—other ideas of India, including Nehru’s. This has profound impacts for both domestic and foreign policy. The sooner India’s would-be partners and rivals realize this, the better they will be able to manage New Delhi’s growing global clout. “The Nehruvian idea of India is dead,” said Vinay Sitapati, the author of India Before Modi . “Something is definitely lost. But the question is whether that idea was alien to India in the first place.”

Watch a live discussion about the magazine’s India issue with editor-in-chief Ravi Agrawal here .

Indians bristle at reports of how their country has fallen in recent years on key markers of the health of its civil society. It is nonetheless worth contending with those assessments. According to Reporters Without Borders, India ranked 161st out of 180 countries for press freedom in 2023, down from 80th out of 139 countries in 2002. Freedom House, which measures democracy around the world, marked India as only “partly free” in its 2024 report, with Indian-administered Kashmir receiving a “not free” designation. Only a handful of countries and territories, such as Russia and Hong Kong, experienced a greater decline in freedom over the last decade than India. The World Economic Forum’s 2023 Global Gender Gap Index ranks India 127th out of 146 countries. The World Justice Project ranks India 79th out of 142 countries for adherence to the rule of law, down from 59th in 2015. As one legal scholar wrote in Scroll.in , the judiciary has “placed its enormous arsenal at the government’s disposal in pursuit of its radical majoritarian agenda.” Consider, as well, access to the web: India has administered more internet shutdowns than any country in the last decade, even more than Iran and Myanmar.

The social indicator that worries observers of India the most is religious freedom. Troubles between Hindus and Muslims are not new. But in its decade in power, Modi’s BJP has been remarkably successful in furthering its Hindu-first agenda through legislation. It has done so by revoking the semi-autonomous status of majority-Muslim Kashmir in 2019 and later that year—an election year—passing an immigration law that fast-tracked citizenship for non-Muslims from three neighboring countries, each of which has a large Muslim majority. (The law, which makes it more difficult for Indian Muslims to prove their citizenship, was implemented in March. The timing of this announcement seemed to highlight its electoral benefits.)

Perhaps more damaging than these legislative maneuvers has been the Modi administration’s silence, and often its dog whistles of encouragement, amid an increasingly menacing climate for Indian Muslims. While Nehru’s emphasis on secularism once imposed implicit rules in the public sphere, Hindus can now question Muslims’ loyalty to India with relative impunity. Hindu supremacy has become the norm; critics are branded “anti-national.” This dominance culminated on Jan. 22, when Modi consecrated a giant temple to the Hindu god Ram in the northern Indian city of Ayodhya. The temple, which cost $250 million to build, was constructed on the site of a mosque that was demolished by a Hindu mob in 1992. When that happened three decades ago, top BJP leaders recoiled from the violence they had unleashed. Today, that embarrassment has morphed into an expression of national pride. “It is the beginning of a new era,” said Modi, adorned in a Hindu priest’s garb at the temple’s opening, in front of an audience of top Bollywood stars and the country’s business elite.

“The BJP’s dominance is primarily demand-driven,” Sitapati said. “Progressives are in denial about this.”

Modi’s vision of what it means to be Indian is at least partly borne out in public opinion. When the Pew Research Center conducted a major survey of religion in India between late 2019 and early 2020, it found that 64 percent of Hindus believed being Hindu was very important to being “truly Indian,” while 59 percent said speaking Hindi was similarly foundational in defining Indianness; 84 percent considered religion to be “very important” in their lives; and 59 percent prayed daily. “The BJP’s dominance is primarily demand-driven,” said Sitapati, who also teaches law and politics at Shiv Nadar University Chennai. “Progressives are in denial about this.”

Sitapati has critics on the left who claim his scholarship underplays the militant roots of the BJP and RSS, helping to rehabilitate their image. But on the question of demand and supply: The BJP’s dominance is limited to the country’s north, where most people speak Hindi. In the wealthier south, where tech firms are flourishing, literacy rates are higher, and most people speak languages such as Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam, the BJP is decidedly less popular. Southern leaders harbor a growing resentment that their taxes are subsidizing the Hindi Belt in the north. This geographic cleavage could come to a head in 2026, when a national process of redistricting is expected to take place. Opposition leaders fear the BJP could redraw parliamentary constituencies to its advantage. If the BJP succeeds, it could continue winning at the polls long beyond Modi’s time.

Despite all this, Sitapati contends that the country remains democratic: “Political participation is higher than ever. Elections are free and fair. The BJP regularly loses state elections. If your definition of democracy is focused on the sanctity of elections and the substance of policies, then democracy is thriving.” In Indian society, he said, culture is not centered on liberalism and individual rights; Modi’s rise must be viewed within that context.

Liberal Indians who might disagree are vanishing from the public eye. One clear exception is the Booker Prize-winning novelist Arundhati Roy. Speaking in Lausanne, Switzerland, last September, she described an India descending into fascism . The ruling BJP’s “message of Hindu supremacism has relentlessly been disseminated to a population of 1.4 billion people,” Roy said. “Consequently, elections are a season of murder, lynching, and dog-whistling. … It is no longer just our leaders we must fear but a whole section of the population.”

Is the mobilization of more than a billion Hindus a form of tyranny of the majority? Not quite, says Pratap Bhanu Mehta, an Indian political scientist who teaches at Princeton University. “Hindu nationalists will say that theirs is a classic nation-building project,” he said, underscoring how independent India is still a young country. Populism, too, is an unsatisfying term for describing Modi’s politics. Even though he plays up his modest background, he is hardly anti-elitist and in fact frequently courts top Indian and global business leaders to invest in the country. Sometimes, they directly finance Modi’s success: A 2017 provision for electoral bonds brought in more than $600 million in anonymous donations to the BJP. The Supreme Court scrapped the scheme in March, calling it “unconstitutional,” but the ruling is likely too late to have prevented the influence of big donors in this year’s election.

Mukul Kesavan, a historian based in New Delhi, argues that it would be more accurate to describe the BJP’s agenda as majoritarianism. “Majoritarianism just needs a minority to mobilize against—a hatred of the internal other,” he said. “India is at the vanguard of this. There is no one else doing what we are doing. I am continually astonished that the West doesn’t see this.”

What the West also doesn’t always see is that Modi is substantially different from strongmen such as Donald Trump in the United States. While Trump propagated an ideology that eclipsed that of the Republican Party, Modi is fulfilling the RSS’s century-old movement to equate Indianness more closely with Hinduism. Surveys and elections both reveal this movement’s time has come.

“People aren’t blinkered. They’re willing to accept trade-offs,” said Mehta, explaining how growing numbers of Indians have accepted the BJP’s premise of a Hindu state, even if there are elements of that project that make them uncomfortable. “They don’t think the majoritarian agenda presents a deal-breaker.” For now, at least. A key question is what happens when majoritarianism provokes something that challenges public acceptance of this trade-off. The greatest risk here lies in a potential surge of communal violence, the likes of which have pockmarked Indian history. In 2002, for example, 58 Hindu pilgrims were killed in Godhra, in the western state of Gujarat, after a train that was returning from Ayodhya caught fire. Modi, then chief minister of Gujarat, declared the incident an act of terrorism. After rumors circulated that Muslims were responsible for the fire, a mob embarked on three days of violence in the state, killing more than a thousand people. An overwhelming majority of the dead were Muslim. Modi has never been convicted of any involvement, but the tragedy has followed him in ways both damaging and to his advantage. Liberal Indians were horrified that he didn’t do more to stop the violence, but the message for a substantial number of Hindus was that he would stop at nothing to protect them.

Twenty-two years later, Modi is a mainstream leader catering to a national constituency that is much more diverse than that of Gujarat. While the riots once loomed large in his biography, Indians now see them as just one part of a complicated career in the public eye. What is unknown is how they might react to another mass outbreak of communal violence and whether civil society retains the muscle to rein in the worst excesses of its people. Optimists will point out that India has been through tough moments and emerged stronger. When Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared a state of emergency in 1975, giving her the license to rule by decree, voters kicked her out of power the first chance they got. Modi, however, has a stronger grip on the country—and he continues to expand his powers while winning at the ballot box.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets a crowd in Varanasi, India, on March 4, 2022. Ritesh Shukla/Getty Images

Just as citizens can’t subsist purely on the ideals of secularism and liberalism, it’s the same with nationalism and majoritarianism. In the end, the state must deliver. Here, Modi’s record is mixed. “Modi sees Japan as a model—modern in an industrial sense without being Western in a cultural sense,” Sitapati said. “He has delivered on an ideological project that is Hindu revivalism mixed with industrialization.”

India is undertaking a vast national project of state-building under Modi. Since 2014, spending on transport has more than tripled as a share of GDP. India is currently building more than 6,000 miles of highways a year and has doubled the length of its rural road network since 2014. In 2022, capitalizing on a red-hot aviation market, New Delhi privatized its creaky national carrier, Air India. India has twice as many airports today than it did a decade ago, with domestic passengers more than doubling in quantity to top 200 million. Its middle classes are spending more money: Average monthly per capita consumption expenditure in urban areas rose by 146 percent in the last decade. Meanwhile, India is whittling down its infamous bureaucratic hurdles to become an easier place for industry. According to the World Bank’s annual Doing Business report, India rose from a rank of 134th in 2014 to 63rd in 2020. Investors seem bullish. The country’s main stock index, the BSE Sensex, has increased in value by 250 percent in the last decade.

Strongmen are usually more popular among men than women. It is a strange paradox, then, that the BJP won a record number of votes by women in the 2019 national election and is projected to do so again in 2024, as voter participation , and voting by women, continues to climb. Modi has targeted female voters through the canny deployment of services that make domestic life easier. Rural access to piped water, for example, has climbed to more than 75 percent from just 16.8 percent in 2019. Modi declared India free of open defecation in 2019 after a campaign to build more than 110 million toilets. And according to the International Energy Agency, 45 percent of India’s electricity transmission lines have been installed in the last decade.

The most transformative force in the country is the ongoing proliferation of the internet, as I wrote in my 2018 book, India Connected . Just as the invention of the car more than a century ago shaped modern America, with the corresponding building out of the interstate system and suburbia, cheap smartphones have enabled Indians to partake in a burgeoning digital ecosystem. Though it didn’t have much to do with the smartphone and internet boom, the government has capitalized on it. India’s Unified Payments Interface, a government-run instant payment system, now accounts for three-fourths of all non-cash retail transactions in the country. With the help of digital banking and a new national biometric identification system, New Delhi has been able to sidestep corruption by directly transferring subsidies to citizens, saving billions of dollars in wastage.

Modi is projecting an image of a more powerful, muscular, prideful nation—and Indians are in thrall to the self-portrait.

The private sector has been a willing participant in India’s new digital and physical economy. But it has also been strangely leery of investing more, as two leading economists describe in this issue. Businesses remain concerned that Modi has a cabal of preferred partners in his plans for industrialization—for example, he is seen as too cozy with the country’s two richest men, Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani, both of whom hail from his native state of Gujarat. Fears abound that New Delhi’s history of retroactive taxation and protectionism could blow up the best laid corporate plans.

Because he has corralled great power, when Modi missteps, the consequences tend to be enormous. In 2016, he suddenly announced a process of demonetization, recalling high-value notes of currency as legal tender. While the move attempted to reduce corruption by outing people with large amounts of untaxed income, it was in fact a stunt that reduced India’s growth by nearly 2 percentage points. Similarly, panicked by the onset of COVID-19 in 2020, Modi announced a sudden national lockdown, leading to millions of migrant workers racing home—and likely spreading the virus. A year later, New Delhi largely stood by when the delta variant of COVID-19 surged through the country, killing untold thousands of Indians. No amount of nationalism or pride could cover up for the fact that, on that occasion, the state had let its people down.

Now, with a population hungry for good news, India is looking to take advantage of the best foreign-policy deals. There are plenty to be struck in a shifting global order. The United States’ power is in relative decline, China’s has risen, and a range of so-called middle powers are looking to benchmark their status. Modi is projecting an image of a more powerful, muscular, prideful nation—and Indians are in thrall to the self-portrait.

Modi is seen through a video camera as he speaks at the final session of the G-20 summit in New Delhi on Sept. 10, 2023. Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

One window into India’s newfound status on the world stage came last September, after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made the stunning announcement that Ottawa was investigating “credible allegations” that Indian government agents had orchestrated the murder of a Sikh community leader in British Columbia. New Delhi flatly denied his accusations, calling them “absurd.” The person who was killed, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, had sought to establish a nation called Khalistan, carved out of territory in his native Punjab, a state in northwestern India. In 2020, New Delhi declared Nijjar a terrorist.

A Canadian leader publicly accusing India of a murder on Canadian soil could have been a major embarrassment for Modi. Instead, the incident galvanized his supporters. The national mood seemed to agree with the government line that New Delhi didn’t do it but with an important subtext: If it did, it did the right thing.

“It’s this idea that ‘We have arrived. Now we can talk on equal terms to the white man,’” Sitapati said. It’s not just revisionism to examine how colonial powers masterminded the plunder of India’s land and resources; even the word “loot” is stolen from Hindi, as the writer and parliamentarian Shashi Tharoor has pointed out. The BJP’s project of nation-building attempts to reinstill a sense of self-pride, often by painting Hindus as the victims of centuries of wrongs but who have now awoken to claim their true status. This is why the Jan. 22 opening of the Ram temple took on epic significance, reviving among Hindus a sense that they were rightfully claiming the primacy they once enjoyed.

The flashier the stage, the better. For much of 2023, India flaunted its hosting of the G-20, a rotating presidency that most other countries see as perfunctory. For Modi, it became a marketing machine, with giant billboards advertising New Delhi’s pride in playing host (always alongside a portrait of the prime minister). When the summit began in September, TV channels dutifully carried key parts live, showing Modi welcoming a series of top world leaders.

Weeks earlier, Indians united around another celebratory moment. The country landed two robots on the moon, making it only the fourth country to do so and the first to reach the moon’s southern polar region. As TV channels ran a live broadcast of the landing, Modi beamed into mission control at the key moment of touchdown, his face on a split screen with the landing. The self-promotion can seem garish, but it feeds into a sense of collective accomplishment and national identity.

Also popular is New Delhi’s stance on Moscow, thumbing its nose at Western countries seeking to sanction Russia after its invasion of Ukraine. While Russia exported less than 1 percent of its crude to India before 2022, it now sends more than half of its supplies there. China and India are together purchasing 80 percent of Russia’s seaborne oil exports—and they do so at below-market rates because of a price cap imposed by the West. There is little consideration for morality, in part because Indians, like many in the global south, now widely perceive the West as applying double standards to world affairs. As a result, there’s no moral benchmark. For India, an advantageous oil deal is just that: good economics and smart politics. (India and Russia also share a historic friendship, which both sides are keen to continue.)

New Delhi’s growing foreign-policy assertiveness stems from a knowledge that it is increasingly needed by other countries. Allies seem aware of this new dynamic. For the United States, even if India doesn’t come to its aid in a potential tussle with China in the Taiwan Strait, merely preventing New Delhi from growing closer to Beijing represents a geopolitical win that papers over other disagreements. For other countries, access to India’s growing market is paramount. Despite the BJP’s hostility to Muslims, Modi receives a red-carpet welcome when he visits countries in the Persian Gulf.

India’s embrace of its strategic interests—and its confidence in articulating that choice—is of a piece with broader changes in how the country views itself. Modi and his BJP have succeeded in furthering an idea of India that makes a virtue of sacrificing Western liberalism for a homegrown sense of self-interest. By appealing to young people’s economic aspirations and their desire for identity in an increasingly interconnected world, the BJP has found room to advance a religious and cultural agenda that would have been unimaginable a generation ago. This vision cannot be purely top-down; the will of a nation evolves over time. In the future, there will likely be further contests among other ideas of India. But if Modi’s BJP continues to win at the ballot box, history may show that the country’s liberal experiment wasn’t just interrupted—it may have been an aberration.

Ravi Agrawal is the editor in chief of Foreign Policy . Twitter:  @RaviReports

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NE's integration with rest of India happened under Modi govt Nadda

    Kokrajhar (Assam), Apr 18 (PTI) BJP president J P Nadda on Thursday claimed that integration of North East with the rest of the country has happened under the Narendra Modi-led government, accusing the Congress of keeping the region in "isolation and ignorance".     He alleged that opposition parties are not bothered about people's welfare, and are out to save themselves from being indicted in multiple scams.     Addressing a rally for the NDA candidate at the headquarters town of Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), Nadda also maintained that peace has returned to the area due to the peace accords signed by the NDA government.     United People's Party Liberal (UPPL), an ally of the BJP-led coalition in the state, has fielded Jayanta Basumatary from the seat, where elections are due on May 7.     Taking a swipe at the Congress, the BJP chief said, "Congress' policy was to keep North East in isolation and ignorance. It is the Modi and Himanta Biswa Sarma governments which worked to join you with the rest of the country."     "Ten years back when you visited Delhi, people asked which country you are from. But now integration is complete," Nadda said in the tribal-dominated region.     Referring to the peace accords signed under the Modi regime, especially with Bodo militant outfits, the BJP chief claimed insurgent attacks and the number of civilian deaths have decreased drastically in the region in the last ten years.     "This was the same Kokrajhar which was known for agitations, ethnic strife, bandhs, blasts, blockades, strikes. Kokrajhar had in a way become the hub of 'andolon'. But under the leadership of Modi and Amit Shah, peace accords were signed," Nadda said, referring to the Bodo peace pact of January 2020 as one of the most important such agreements of the 21st century.     He said Rs 1,500 crore has been given by the Modi government under the peace accord.     On the initiatives for North East by the Modi-led NDA government, Nadda said, "The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act has been removed from 70 per cent of North East."     "One has to remember the 'bure din' (dark days) of the past to appreciate the present 'ache din' (good times)," he maintained.     He said Rs 5 lakh crore has been spent for the development of the region in the last five years, adding that the 'Look East Policy' was changed to 'Act East Policy' for 'first and fast growth of North East'.     He claimed that Modi visited the region 70 times in the last 10 years, which was more than the visits of all the previous PMs taken together.     Union ministers have visited North East 680 times during the last decade, he said, as he listed the various welfare measures and schemes of the central government.     Alleging that opposition leaders from various parties from Congress to RJD to SP to DMK and others have been named in different corruption cases, Nadda said, "Their scams ranged from the deep soils (coal) to space (5G) and everything in between."     "These people are not bothered about you (the public), but are seeking your votes so that they can save themselves and their families," he claimed, exhorting the people to vote for the NDA candidates and ensure a third successive term in the Centre.     Among various scams the opposition leaders are named in are laptop and Gomti riverfront development scams of Akhilesh Yadav, fodder and job-for-land scams of Lalu Prasad, liquor scam of Kavitha, ministers of Mamata Banerjee's cabinet named in teachers recruitment scam and disproportionate assets of DMK leader Stalin, Nadda claimed.     "The opposition leaders are either out on bail or in jail," he said, referring to leaders like Lalu Prasad being out on bail and others like Arvind Kejriwal and Hemant Soren still behind bars.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)

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