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Understanding the origins of Modi government’s economic philosophy ahead of Budget 2024-25

One of the fundamental beliefs of the Modi government has been to make India self-reliant. It has worked tirelessly in that direction and the continuation of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ policy in this year’s Budget is highly likely

July 22, 2024 / 11:08 IST
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State policies are based on a mixture of political, social, economic and military considerations.

(Sanghnomics is a weekly column that tracks down and demystifies the economic world view of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and organisations inspired by its ideology.)

As we get ready for the Union budget 2024-25 that is scheduled to be presented on 23 July, we can expect a continuity in keeping ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ as the guiding principle of the Modi government’s economic policy. Aatmanirbhar Bharat implies India needs to be self-reliant. This has been the foundation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s governance model since he assumed the charge in 2014.

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Thengadi and his ‘Third Way’

Aatmanirbhara Bharat is an outcome of an economic philosophy laid down by Dattopant Thengadi, an ideological stalwart of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), an ideological mentor of the Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP). Thengadi called it ‘Third Way’. He started talking extensively about it from the 1950s. Thengadi was the founder of Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh BMS), India’s largest labour organisation. He also founded Bharatiya Kisan Sangh(BKS), the largest farmers’ organisation of India and Swadeshi Jagaran Manch(SJM), a policy advocacy group with strong impact. All these organisations have been working in their respective field for promotion of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ much before the BJP even came to power at the Centre. Thengadi and his philosophy of ‘Third Way’ guides their policies, perspectives and on ground actions.