The Political Economy of Hindu Nationalism in India 1998-2004

This thesis sets out to investigate the relationship between economic policy and the politics of Hindu nationalism. It argues that the economic record of the Bharatiya Janata Party which formed two coalition governments in India between the years 1998-2004 was driven by transnational elites within senior positions in key ministries and in the Prime Minister’s Office. It argues that while the factors usually associated with economic policy formation such as ideological legacy, domestic politics or international pressures can provide some limited insights, transnational elites are the key to explaining the neoliberal economic policies pursued by this government.