Modi and India’s Invented Traditions

India’s official nationalism has been reshaped under Narendra Modi’s leadership, with national traditions recast to align with his political vision. The modification of existing rituals, introduction of new commemorative events and promotion of museums and historical references in political speeches shape an alternative narrative that legitimizes his administration. Modi’s distinctive political style, emphasising performances and social media output, popularises commemoration and national celebrations.

This book critically examines the coherence of such invented traditions, questioning whether they advance the exclusionary ideology of Hindu nationalism or primarily serve Modi’s own political ambitions. It argues that nationalism can be understood as a constructed ideology, shaped by political elites through public rituals, symbols and ceremonies. Although nationalism has long been central to India’s statecraft, the book demonstrates how Modi’s reworking of national traditions reveals limits to his political project.

Aimed at academic and postgraduate scholars researching Indian politics and nationalism, as well as scholars in anthropology, geography, sociology and South Asian history, this book offers new insights into the mechanisms of political legitimacy and symbolic power.