Author: Rakesh Kumar
ABSTRACT: Globalisation, once seen as an unstoppable process of economic and political unification, is now being reshaped by multipolarity, geopolitical fragmentation, economic nationalism, and the resurgence of civilisational identities. This paper explores whether India’s current policies—Atmanirbhar Bharat and Vikshit Bharat 2047—indicate a move away from globalisation or a strategic response to a changing international landscape. Using a qualitative political economy perspective, it analyses the history of globalisation, its ties to geopolitics, and the rising importance of resilience, strategic autonomy, and building domestic capabilities. Examples from the US, China, Russia, Japan, and Europe show a global shift away from convergence-based globalisation towards diverse development paths driven by national priorities, cultural identities, and strategic interests. The paper argues that India does not aim for economic isolation but seeks to develop domestic capacity while engaging actively in global markets and institutions. Incorporating ideas of Swadeshi, civilisational economics, and multiple modernities, it suggests India is pursuing a development model that blends openness with resilience and cultural continuity. The study proposes that India is not rejecting globalisation but reconfiguring it through a model of resilient, culturally rooted global engagement.
Keywords: Globalisation; Multipolarity; Atmanirbhar Bharat; Vikshit Bharat 2047; Strategic Autonomy; Civilisational Economics; Economic Nationalism; India.