Poonam Sharma
In the 21st century, politics is no longer being fought on battlefields or in conference rooms—it is being settled in factories, laboratories, cyber networks, and hubs of innovation. As fault lines between geopolitics deepen, India is deliberately reshaping its economic and strategic narrative. From defense production to research in technology, India is taking a clear shift towards Swadeshi — a way that aims not merely economic autarky but also strategic autonomy.
This change is not just symbolic. It is a paradigm shift in the way India places itself within the global matrix. For decades, India remained reliant on foreign weapons, foreign technologies, and imported know-how. But the post-pandemic world combined with the rising global power struggle has made it clear: nations that do not own their production chains and innovation ecosystems risk being strategically weak.
The Strategic Core of Swadeshi
At the center of this change is the recognition that self-sufficiency is no longer the revolutionary ideal of the freedom struggle — it is a national security necessity. The world order of today is hegemonized by technological empires — countries that dominate defense supply chains, rare earth elements, critical digital infrastructure, and AI-based industries.
India’s new Swadeshi strategy is strategic, organized, and long-term. The government is intentionally linking domestic production with national security interests. Policies such as the Defence Production and Export Promotion Policy, Make in India, and Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan have been crafted to ensure that key sectors are kept in Indian hands.
This is most clearly evident in defense production. India, which was among the globe’s largest importers of arms, now exports defense equipment to more than 85 nations. The progress made in indigenous fighter aircraft, submarines, artillery, drones, and space launch vehicles showcases a distinct agenda: India does not wish to remain a market anymore — it wishes to be a manufacturer and a power hub.
Breaking Dependency Chains
Reliance on foreign nations for vital goods, technology, and defense inputs has always constrained India’s strategic flexibility. In every international crisis — the Gulf War, the pandemic, or the Russia-Ukraine war — nations have militarized supply chains. From chips to vital defense inputs, resources are being wielded as a geopolitical weapon.
India has taken notice. The focus on indigenous R&D, public-private partnerships, and innovation-led manufacturing is meant to position the country in a position where it is not hostage to changing international alliances. Government programs are attracting start-ups, MSMEs, and research institutions to create core technologies — chips and quantum computing to satellite systems and cybersecurity infrastructure.
This is not isolationism. India’s approach is selective integration — where foreign partnerships are permitted, but without compromising vital control. It’s a balanced strategy that enables India to absorb the latest technologies while protecting its national interest.
Geopolitics of Economic Self-Reliance
Swadeshi is also reshaping India’s role in international power politics. Through enhancing its internal capacity, India is lessening its reliance on big power blocs, allowing it greater diplomatic maneuverability.
In the evolving struggle between China, Russia, European powers, and the United States, India has risen as a balancing force. Its power to say “no” to pressure — whether on trade terms, defense alignment, or energy policy — stems from increasing internal strength. When a country is economically self-reliant, it negotiates, not begs.
This is why world powers are observing India’s actions closely. A self-reliant India is not merely a large market but also a possible rule-maker in the new world order.
Swadeshi in Technology and Innovation
Technological independence is the other pillar of this transformation. India is quickly developing its capacities in the production of semiconductors, defense AI, space exploration, and digital infrastructure. The new chip manufacturing facilities in Gujarat and elsewhere across the country indicate India’s desire to be a player along with the international manufacturing titans.
In the same vein, in the virtual world, India’s homegrown payments platforms such as UPI, homegrown navigation platforms such as NavIC, and cybersecurity infrastructure are enacting strategic digital sovereignty. This is to prevent global tech oligopolies from taking over or dictating India’s national data and infrastructure.
Swadeshi as an Economic Engine
Apart from strategic security, Swadeshi is also becoming a source of economic growth. Spurring local manufacturing and innovation generates employment, increases entrepreneurship, and helps cut foreign exchange outflow. Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes are assisting in the development of competing domestic sectors in electronics, renewable energy, automobiles, and pharmaceuticals.
India’s economic vision is growing more confident and assertive. Rather than remaining a service economy, India is emerging as a 21st-century manufacturing and innovation hub.
Challenges and the Road Ahead
Yet, this journey will not be an easy ride. Developing domestic manufacturing needs massive investment in infrastructure, skilled human resource, and regulatory changes. Catching up with global supply chains that enjoy decades of head start will need patience, planning, and precision.
But the course is set: India does not want to rely on others for its fundamental strategic requirements anymore. It wants to stand on its own two feet and set global rules, rather than merely abide by them.
The Swadeshi Vow in a Global Battlefield
In a world dominated by power politics and economic interdependencies, India has decided to establish its strength internally. Swadeshi is not a relic of the past — it is the strategic guide of an ascendent power.
By developing indigenous capability in defense, technology, and industry, India is gearing not only to cope with a competitive world — but to dominate. The battlefield of global equations is being reshaped, and India is joining it not as a pawn, but as a player with its own promise — the promise of Swadeshi.
