Liberalism to support the economy
As soon as he came to power, Narendra Modi implemented his program to liberalize the economy, notably by facilitating foreign investment, which had previously been tightly controlled. It is now possible for any foreign national to set up a business in India. This flagship measure is accompanied by the introduction of a progressive VAT system at federal level. This tax has been added to the local VAT, driving up prices, particularly in the tourism sector. Rooms are now taxed at 4 different rates, depending on their selling price, which can be as high as 28% for rooms costing more than Rs. 7,500 per night. Elected on an anti-corruption platform, Modi had the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 bills, which accounted for 86% of money in circulation, withdrawn from circulation in 2016. Indians then had just a few weeks to exchange their old bills at the bank. This demonetization created a panic, as Indians traditionally keep their savings under their mattresses. But in a radical way, it led a large number of Indians to the banks, forcing them to open an account and bringing billions in liquidity into the banking system. Infrastructure has not been forgotten, with the implementation of pharaonic new projects for the country. A toll freeway reserved for trucks, buses and cars linking Delhi to Mumbai is being built, while Indian Railway, the national railway company, is inviting tenders for the construction of a high-speed line linking Mumbai and Ahmedabad (Gujarat). These major reforms are accompanied by a social component, with the introduction of a pension system and assistance for the poorest sections of the population, notably through food and energy coupons (gas, kerosene, etc.).
On the international stage, Modi continues the tradition of non-alignment. The Prime Minister meets with important and influential heads of state, and negotiates substantial contracts on both sides. If he buys weapons or military equipment, he expects the supplier to invest in industry or services in return. In particular, the Covid crisis has enabled India to position itself in the global vaccine manufacturing arena, by producing antidotes for emerging countries. When Vladimir Putin declared war on Ukraine in February 2022, Modi refrained from condemning the Russian invasion. He took advantage of the situation to buy gas and oil at knock-down prices, which he then sold to the embargoed Western countries. Some see in this policy of economic zeal a great pragmatism; others opportunism, even cynicism.
Agriculture, the thorn in our side
India is a predominantly agricultural society. Although the sector accounts for only 15% of GDP, it employs 50% of the population. Agricultural planning in the 1960s transformed the sector. The government focused on developing regions with extensive crop-growing potential, a comprehensive irrigation network and prime locations for timber production. Not only has India become self-sufficient in feed grain, it also exports part of its harvest. Even so, the sector remains fragile. Few farmers own their land. They have to pay back a large part of their harvest to the landowner. They go into debt to buy modified seeds in the hope of higher yields. But they must also buy chemical inputs that deplete the soil. The suicides of debt-ridden farmers continue. More than 5,000 farmers take their own lives every year. In 2020, Narendra Modi attempted to reform the sector by introducing a deregulation bill. The text aims to authorize farmers to sell their produce directly, without going through the government-regulated wholesale markets, which guarantee them a minimum price. In November 2020, a huge demonstration was held in Delhi, while millions of Indians went on strike. For a year, farmers from all over the country will take turns in the capital, staging demonstrations and sit-ins. They feared that the markets would fall under the control of private speculators who would impose prices even lower than those set by the government. With the BJP losing seats in federal and local by-elections, Modi withdraws his draft law in November 2021.
The nationalist turn
The first major project launched by Modi when he came to power may seem rather trivial given the challenges facing India, a country 6 times the size of France. Swachh Bharat or "Clean India" was inaugurated with great fanfare in October 2014. It invites Indians to clean up a little further than their doorsteps and not to throw their garbage just anywhere. It is accompanied by a very prosaic plan to ensure at least one public toilet in every village in the country. In 5 years, Modi plans to install 110 million toilets across the country and put an end to open-air defecation. This is of course a major public hygiene issue, and marks the Indian government's determination to give a little dignity to the poorest of its fellow citizens. It's also an opportunity for the Prime Minister to have his face displayed in the remotest corners, on huge 4x3 posters. Modi acts for the people and makes it known. He launches a subsidized gas scheme for the most disadvantaged? His face is plastered at the entrance to almost every gas station, his white beard standing out against a green background crossed with orange and white, the colors of India. In 2017, Modi attempted to ban cow slaughter at federal level, in a country that is nearly 20% Muslim and Christian. The southern states, where even some Hindus eat beef, rebelled, and the Constitutional Council annulled the text in the name of the principle of secularism enshrined in the Constitution. No matter, Modi encourages states to take restrictive measures. Cow slaughter is banned in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and many other states where the BJP is in power. Extremist Hindu militias are rampant on the roads of Uttar Pradesh, randomly attacking Muslims and accusing them of killing or eating sacred cows. These attacks sometimes lead to murders, which are rarely punished. While no major measures have yet been officially taken to mark a nationalist shift, a succession of vexations and bullying is taking place, particularly against the Muslim community. The state of Uttar Pradesh, headed by Yogi Adithyanath, a fervent nationalist, is acting as a laboratory. For a time, the Chief Minister had all photos of the Taj Mahal removed from tourist brochures, on the pretext that it was a Muslim monument. He had the city of Allahabad renamed Prayagraj, which means "Queen of the 5 Confluences" in Sanskrit, as it is positioned at the junction of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers.
The Prime Minister's second term in office, starting in 2019, marks an overtly religious and sectarian turn. His vision of a "new India" is accompanied by a staging imbued with the sacred. Modi makes numerous appearances in temples, his forehead streaked with yellow powder to mark his devotion to Shiva. He conducts puja and aarti (Hindu prayers and rites) and releases billions of rupees to renovate highly symbolic temples. He accompanies this "temple policy" with unambiguous speeches: "You will have noticed that the great Ram temple is taking shape in Ayodhya. Whether it's the temple of Vishwanath at Kashi [the ancient name of Varanasi], or that of Baba at Kedarnath [a sacred pilgrimage site at the source of the Ganges], today the spiritual and cultural glory of India is restored. The new India with its modern aspirations continues to respect its ancestral heritage and identity, always with the same zeal and enthusiasm, and every Indian is proud of it." The Prime Minister is also busy shedding the British colonial legacy. He now speaks only in Hindi during his public appearances and meetings with foreign heads of state. His latest project, "Central Vista", involves rewriting the narrative of India's central place of power: Rajpath. This wide avenue in New Delhi, linking the Gateway of India to the presidential palace, was renamed Kartavya Path, or "the path of duty" in September 2022. Bordered by the National Museum and the Parliament, the avenue will be remodeled at a cost of 135 billion rupees. The aim is to erase the British imprint from the high places of federal power. Modi fully embraced this revisionist stance during the speech presenting the project: "Rajpath, this symbol of slavery, has become a historical detail from today, and is erased forever. A new history is being created..."
