Changing Basis of State Formation in India

The state formation of India has not been a static process; it has had its different historical stages, which were influenced by the political power, economic formations, social relations, and ideological movements (Chatterjee, 1997) . India serves as a good example, with a stratified and multi-layered process of state building, of a transition between pre-colonial polities with fragmented sovereignty and localised power, and a highly centralised colonial administrative state. The Indian state after gaining independence in 1947 was reconstituted based on constitutional, democratic and developmental principles. The political legitimacy and institutional stability of a new independent and heterogeneous society were guaranteed by the adoption of a written Constitution, the introduction of universal adult franchise and a strong federal system. The state formation during the first post-colonial decades was associated closely with the planned economic growth, expansion of the public sector, and the welfare-based policies, therefore, strengthening the position of the state as the main driver of nation-building (Kohli, 2004).
But since the end of the twentieth century, the foundation of state formation in India has been transformed drastically. The interplay between the state, the market and society has changed due to economic liberalisation, globalisation and a fast change in technology. The modern Indian state has gained its power not just due to the constitutional and democratic legitimacy, but also due to its ability to provide economic development, control identities, and implement digital governance practices. At the same time, the emergence of identity politics, cultural nationalism and tension between the centre-state has transformed political underpinnings of the state. This paper contends that the transformation of the foundation of state in India indicates that this is a move towards a more market-oriented, technocratic and ideologically aggressive state as opposed to a more developmental and welfare-oriented state. Based on historical-institutional and political-economy approach, the paper puts forward how continuity and change co-exist in the process of state-formation in India to give insights into the changing nature of governance, democracy and citizenship in a big post-colonial society.