Half - Lion: How P.V. Narasimha Rao Transformed India

by Vinay Sitapati

But the economic power of post-1991 India—for which Rao gets the lion’s share of the credit—meant that the West could not afford to alienate India. This mix of economic might and an unbending nuclear programme is what has led to new status for India in the international system. Seen thus, Narasimha Rao is not just the ‘true father’ of the 1998 nuclear tests. He is also the crafter of a fresh vision for India in the world. This new self-image, at odds with Nehruvian idealism,40 emphasizes economic muscle alongside a conventional military and large nuclear programme. It is a vision not without its critics.41 But for better or for worse, it is likely to be the dominant way in which India sees itself in the years to come.