Atmanirbhar Bharat, translating to "Self-Reliant India," is a policy framework and a national concept officially launched as the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan (Self-reliant India Mission). The concept gained prominence when Prime Minister Narendra Modi publicly announced it on May 12, 2020, in response to the economic disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The mission was created to revive the economy and reduce import dependency by encouraging local businesses, drawing inspiration from the pre-independence Swadeshi movement.
The mission was initially backed by an economic stimulus package of ₹20 lakh crore, equivalent to approximately 10% of India's GDP. It is structured around five core pillars: Economy, Infrastructure, System, Vibrant Demography, and Demand. The mechanism works through a series of structural reforms and financial measures across various sectors, focusing on land, labour, liquidity, and laws. Key provisions include the redefinition of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) by amending the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act, 2006, and providing ₹3 lakh crore in collateral-free loans to MSMEs.
The concept connects directly to the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme and structural reforms like the One Nation One Ration Card initiative. In the defence sector, it led to the amendment of the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) in 2020 to promote indigenisation, including imposing import prohibitions on military items and raising the FDI limit in defence manufacturing. Recently, the strategy has evolved into what is described as Atmanirbhar 2.0, with a renewed focus on achieving self-reliance in energy, including green energy and nuclear power, to build structural resilience against global supply chain vulnerabilities.