Indian Politics under Modi

Hindu nationalism is politically dominant today. Not long ago, historians considered it backward or out-of-date, while political scientists did not think it worth their while to discuss its prospects of coming to power. But through the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP, or Indian People’s Party), Hindu nationalism has reinvented itself as populist, asserting religious identity together with the rhetoric of lower caste empowerment. The BJP in fact represents a makeover of the Indian political elite, which has abandoned non-alignment, embraced global capitalism, and seeks close ties with the US. Ironically, this was the desired end of an old Cold War era strategy of the US, which saw India as a frontline state in the battle against Communist threat. This dossier analyzes the Modi regime’s recent ascent to power.