Abstract

The intellectual history of India reveals a continuous and sophisticated engagement with economic governance. From the classical treatise the Arthashastra attributed to Kautilya in the Mauryan period to the twenty-first-century policy vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, Indian economic thinking has demonstrated remarkable resilience and adaptability. This paper examines the thematic and philosophical continuities between ancient Indian economic thought embedded in the Indian Knowledge System (IKS) and contemporary policy frameworks. It argues that Atmanirbhar Bharat is not merely a modern economic strategy shaped by globalization and pandemic-induced disruptions but a reinterpretation of indigenous principles emphasizing state capacity, fiscal prudence, agricultural centrality, industrial self-strengthening, welfare orientation, and strategic autonomy. Through textual analysis and policy interpretation, this study situates India’s modern economic discourse within a civilizational continuum. The findings suggest that contemporary economic nationalism in India draws intellectual legitimacy from classical traditions, demonstrating that economic self-reliance in India has historical depth rather than being an isolated policy response.