Why did Mahatma Gandhi choose Jawaharlal Nehru as India's first Prime Minister of India ?

Why Mahatma Gandhi chose Jawaharlal Nehru as India's first Prime Minister.

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Written by Akhilesh Jha, IPS and Currently Director of International Police Academy,  Brussels, Belgium-- India  Affairs. 

( A) Introduction

The transition of power in 1947 was a watershed moment in Indian history. The choice of the first Prime Minister was not merely a political appointment but a strategic decision to ensure the stability and future trajectory of a newborn nation.  There  is a popular  perception  doing  rounds  that  Sardar  Patel  was  bypassed in spite of  12 out of 15 Provincial Congress Committees favoured Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel for the Congress Presidency in 1946—a position that effectively led to the Prime Ministership .But  this is  not true . Equating  Congress  Presidentship with  Prime Ministership was wrong  . Deliberate  villification  campaigns  are being  launched  to denigrate  Jawaharlal Nehru  . The  entire  hypothesis  is  built  upon  the book  written  by  J B Kriplani who  was  a staunch  opponent of  Jawaharlal Nehru. Moreover,  It is  pertinent  to  note that  neither  any contemporary  leader  nor any news paper voiced  dissent with regard to the appointment of Nehru as president of Congress or the prime ministership. Moreover,  had Sardar Patel been appointed as the President of Congress,  that Resolution was sure to fail the approval from the AICC where JawaharlalNehru had absolute majority.  .In 1951 , Kriplani formed  a new  Party called  Kishan  Mazdoor Praja Party by bifurcating from the Congress.  . In 1952 , he merged  his Party  with  Socialist  Party and  renamed  it Praja Socialist Party  . Mahatma Gandhi’s intervention in favour of Jawaharlal Nehru was rooted in several pragmatic and visionary factors.

1. Pan-Indian Mass Appeal and Secular Image

Nehru was established as an "All India Leader" with a mass appeal that transcended regional and religious boundaries. While Sardar Patel was a formidable organizer and fundraiser, his primary influence was often seen as concentrated among the farmers of the Bombay Presidency. In contrast, Nehru’s charisma drew crowds of hundreds of thousands from Peshawar to Dhaka.At a time when India was grappling with communal tensions, Nehru’s acceptance among Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, and Christians made him the ideal candidate to lead a secular, pluralistic India. India needed  such  a mass leader who should  have  mass appeal  through out the length and breadth  of the  country  . India  was  in the  making  process. Foreign media  and  British  Leadership  were  skeptical about  the capacity  of  Indian  leaders  to keep  India  united.  Violent communist movements in Telangana,  ethnic turmoils in the North- Eastern  states ,  clamour  for  separate  Dravidistan and  tantrums  of  Sheikh  Abdullah  in Jammu and Kashmir further  necessitated  a leader  who  could  be acceptable  to  all  communities.  It  was  because  of  this  masterstroke  that  Congress  could  rule  this  country  for  the  next  55 years  , giving  the  nascent  democracy  a stability.  Congress  belied the doomsayers.  

2. Visionary and International Outlook

Gandhi recognized that the first Prime Minister would need to present India’s case on the global stage. Nehru’s deep understanding of international affairs, combined with his intellectual prowess as evidenced by his writings like The Discovery of India and Glimpses of World History, gave him a global stature that was unmatched by his contemporaries.  His command over English, Hindi, and Urdu allowed him to communicate effectively both with the international community and the Indian masses. 

3. Ideological Legacy and "Speaking Gandhi's Language"

Despite their differences in economic philosophies—Gandhi favoured village-centric economy while Nehru advocated for industrialization , albeit  heavy industries,  Gandhi famously stated that "Jawahar will speak my language" when he was gone. He believed that Nehru’s commitment to social justice, internationalism, and the removal of the zamindari system was essential for the modernization of India. Gandhi trusted that under Nehru's stewardship, the foundational values of the freedom struggle would remain secure. 

4. Age and Health Considerations  practically also played a significant role. In 1947, Nehru was 57 years old, representing the younger generation of the Congress leadership. Conversely, Sardar Patel was 14 years older and suffered from failing health, including multiple heart attacks.  Patel’s passing away in December 1950, just three years after independence, validated the concern that India needed a leader who could provide long-term stability during its formative years. 

5. Historical Precedence (The 1929 Lahore Session)

Nehru’s leadership credentials were solidified as early as the 1929 Lahore Session, where, under his presidency, the Congress first declared Purna Swaraj (Complete Independence).  Since then, he had been the face of the Congress’s radical and progressive wing, making his elevation in 1946 a culmination of a trajectory that began nearly two decades earlier. 

Conclusion

Mahatma Gandhi’s preference for Jawaharlal Nehru was a decision based on the immediate needs of a diverse and newly independent nation. By choosing a leader with unparalleled mass appeal, an internationalist vision, and the physical vigour to lead for decades, Gandhi ensured that the "Idea of India" as a modern, secular, and democratic republic would have a strong foundation. While Patel remained the "Iron Man" who integrated the Princely states, Nehru became the architect of modern India, fulfilling the specific role Gandhi envisioned for him.

A critical analysis of the Budget 2026 - 27

A critical  analysis  of  the  Budget  2026 -- 27 

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Written by Akhilesh Jha, IPS, Gold Medallist and Currently honorary Director of International Police Academy, Brussels, Belgium 

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 Introduction 

The Union Budget 2026-27, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1, 2026, focuses on infrastructure, manufacturing, and simplifying the tax regime. The Budget  is pegged  at ₹ 53.5 lakh crores. The  Budget  basically  stresses upon  continuity  , rather than  drastic  overhaul. 

Below are the key features and highlights:

1. Major Foreign Investment Reforms

A significant focus of this budget is  to attract global capital by modernizing foreign investment rules:

 ( a)  Portfolio Investment Scheme (PIS): Individual investment limits for Persons Resident Outside India (PROI) in listed Indian companies have been doubled from 5% to 10%.

 ( b) Aggregate Limits: The overall investment cap for these investors has been raised from 10% to 24%.

 ( c)  Regulatory Review: The government announced a comprehensive review of the Foreign Exchange Management (Non-Debt Instruments) Rules, 2019, to make them more "user-friendly" and aligned with modern economic priorities.. 

   The Government  relaxed  these  rules  for  Persons of Indian  Origin  ( PIO) because last year  in 2024 - 25 , about  $3.9 billion were  taken  away  from  FPI. Secondly,  about  eight  thousands  Indian  billionaires parked  their  money  into  tax havens like  Dubai or safe places like  in London  and Newyork..Secondly  , the capital  formation  rate  has  not  got push from  the  present  30% ( China  more  than  40%)

2. Infrastructure & Connectivity

The government continues its capex led  strategy to drive growth:

 (a)  Capital Expenditure: The capex target has been raised to ₹12.2 lakh crore for FY27, a 9% increase from the previous year.

 ( b)  Railways: The budget proposes seven new high-speed rail corridors to act as growth connectors between major cities.

 ( c)  City Economic Regions (CER): An allocation of ₹5,000 crore per city for cities with populations over 5 lakh (Tier-2 and Tier-3) to transform them into regional growth hubs. This has  been  necessitated  because  India  has  witnessed rapid  growth  in urbanization  .But  these  urban  centres  lack basic  amenities. The  budget  aims at  providing  basic  amenities  and  facilities  in these  centres. 

 ( c)  Infrastructure Risk Guarantee Fund: A new fund has been  created to offer partial credit guarantees to lenders, encouraging private sector participation in large projects.

3. Taxation & Ease of Living

 (a)  New Income Tax Act, 2025: A completely modernized tax code will come into effect from April 1, 2026, aimed at reducing litigation and simplifying compliance.

 ( b)  Remittance & Travel: Tax Collected at Source (TCS) on overseas tour packages and remittances for education/medical purposes has been slashed to 2% (down from 5% and 20% respectively) 

 ( c) Customs Duty Cuts  : Basic customs duty on 17 essential drugs (including cancer medicines) has been exempted.

   ( d)  Electronics: Duties on aircraft parts, microwave parts, and EV battery inputs have been reduced, making these items cheaper.

 (e)  Costlier Items: Luxury watches, imported alcohol, cigarettes and pan masala are set to become more expensive.

4. Manufacturing & Technology

  MSME Support: A ₹10,000 crore SME Growth Fund was introduced to help small businesses  to become future champions.

 Semiconductors & AI: Launch of ISM 2.0 to bolster the semiconductor ecosystem. The budget also introduced a tax holiday for data centres serving foreign customers until 2047.

 (a)  Orange Economy: Specific measures were announced to boost India’s creative industries (the orange economy ), including content creator labs in 15,000 schools.

5. Fiscal Indicators

 Fiscal Deficit: Targeted at 4.3% of GDP for FY27, down from 4.4% in the previous year.

 

( 6) Critical Analysis 

It is hoped that  the  Budget would  address the  high  tariffs imposed by the US and growing trade  deficits with  China which  reached to $116 billion. 

Secondly  , the  budget  aims to increase  private  sector  investment. This   would  offset  the  loss  incurred  on account  of persistent  outflow  of Foreign Portfolio Investment ( FPI) and  worrying  trend  among  the Indian  billionaires to park their  wealths in Dubai  , Singapore  or London.  

Thirdly  , the  focus  on MSME would  tackle  the  youth  unemployment which  has  increased  to 17% 

Fourthly  , critics  point out major  reduction in the  spending in critical  sectors  like Rural  development  , agriculture,  education,  health and  Jal Jeevan  Mission would  put  a break  upon the  growth  and  development  of  agricultural  sector and  rural  development 

Fifthly , MGNREGA  was  replaced  by G - RAM which promises 125 days of  work  in a year. The allocation would  need ₹2 lakh crores , far exceeding  ₹ 95000 provided  in the  Budget.  Moreover  , the provision  of  60:40 for the centre and  states  as the provision for  the new poverty  alleviation  programme would  further  complicate because  of the financial resource crunch  among  states.  

( 6) Critics  also  point  out  that  there  is need  to  increase  allocation  in defence  budget  looking  into  the  China - Pakistan  axis  . It must  be  noted  that  China  spends  $ 314 billion  against  India 's $84 billion  per annum.  

To conclude  , although  Share market  did not welcome  the budget  in a positive  way  because  of the increase in STT ( Securities Transaction Tax ) , the  Budget follows a  pattern of  stability  , investment and  credibility.

Why did Britishers leave India ?

Why did  Britishers  withdraw  from  India  ? 

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Introduction 

The national security adviser claimed other day that  India  got independence because of the role  of  Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and  INA. This is simplification of our freedom struggle that was  waged by lakhs of  freedom fighters  incessantly for 90 years.  Thousands of people got  killed  , butchered and  maimed by the British imperialists. A deeper  analysis  is warranted as to  why  Britishers  left India  ? 

The withdrawal of the British from India in 1947 was not an isolated event but the culmination of internal pressures, external geopolitical shifts, and the systematic erosion of the pillars of colonial governance. Following factors may be ascribed to  : -

I. The Surge of  Nationalism

The most potent internal factor was the rise of a structured and mass-based nationalist movement.

 * Awakening and Early Phase: Influenced by 19th-century social reformers like Raja Rammohan Ray, Swami Vivekananda, and Jyotiba Phule, a sense of "Rashtrabodh" (national consciousness) was ignited .The formation of the Indian National Congress in 1885 provided an all-India character to this sentiment .

 * The Gandhian Era: The transition from the "Protest, Prayer, and Petition" phase of the Moderates to the mass movements led by Mahatma Gandhi changed the nature of the struggle. Movements like the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920), Civil Disobedience (1930), and Quit India (1942) transformed nationalism into a household sentiment, making India ungovernable for the British .

 * Erosion of Colonial Authority: By the 1940s, the "Quit India" spirit had reached such depths that British officials found it nearly impossible to collect taxes or enforce law, as common citizens were now willing to face the utmost sacrifices for "Swaraj" .

II. The Crisis of Colonial Instruments

The British Raj rested on three pillars: the Civil Services, the Police, and the Army. By 1947, all three had weakened.

 * Indianization of Services: Post-1919, the bureaucracy saw a significant influx of Indians. By 1947, over half of the District Magistrates and SPs were Indians, whose loyalties were increasingly leaning toward the nationalist cause rather than the Crown.

 * The Military Blow: The trials of the Indian National Army (INA) officers at the Red Fort served as a catalyst, shifting the loyalty of the Indian soldiers within the British Indian Army . This culminated in the Royal Indian Navy Mutiny of 1946 in Bombay, involving 20,000 sailors  Once the British realized they could no longer rely on the Indian sword to maintain Indian subjection, their exit became inevitable.

III. Impact of World War second and Economic Exhaustion

World War II acted as a catalyst that bankrupt the British Empire both financially and militarily.

 * Economic Ruin: Although Britain emerged victorious, its economy was devastated. The loss of merchant shipping and the depletion of foreign assets made the maintenance of a distant colony like India an unbearable financial burden .

 * Shift in Global Power: The war ended the era of British naval supremacy, replaced by American air and atomic power. Britain’s focus shifted toward the economic reconstruction of Western Europe (Marshall Plan) rather than managing overseas territories .

IV. External Geopolitical Pressures

 * The Role of the USA: Under President Roosevelt, the US pushed for the principle of "Self-Determination" as outlined in the Atlantic Charter . The US also desired access to the vast Indian market, which was then restricted by British imperial preferences .

 * Change in British Leadership: The 1945 UK elections saw the defeat of the imperialist Winston Churchill and the rise of Clement Attlee’s Labour Party. Attlee's government prioritized domestic social welfare and decolonization over maintaining a crumbling empire .

V. The Strategic Nature of the Exit

The British exit was also marked by a strategic "Imperial Interest." The partition of India and the creation of Pakistan were partly intended to maintain a foothold in the region, ensuring Karachi's port facilities and a recruitment base for future interests in the Middle East .

Conclusion

The British did not leave India out of mere benevolence. It was a calculated retreat necessitated by the collapse of their administrative machinery, the rebellion within the armed forces, and a shattered post-war economy. The relentless pressure from the Indian masses, guided by stalwarts like Gandhi,Nehru,  Bose and Patel, ensured that the "Jewel in the Crown" became a liability that the British could no longer afford to hold .

Why Rajendra 1st Chola , not Chatrapati Shivaji, can be called the father of indian Navy ?

Was Chatrapati Shivaji was the father of the modern Navy in india ? 

                                                      The Great Chatrapati Shivaji 

Rajendra 1st Chola (1014 to 1044) was the great warrior . During his reign , the Chola power reached at its zenith.Military conquest reached to the eastern india in so far as his army crossed the Ganga river and defeated the Pala king, Mahipal. In addition to the military prowess, Rajendra Chola also established naval supremacy in the bay of Bengal and South East Asia . Both Pandyan and Chera navies were destroyed, therby establishing Chola supremacy in the eastern and western coast of india.. . During his reign , Bay of Bengal was converted into the Chola lake. Srilanka was subjugated and it remained under Chola rule for the next 50 years. Similarly, his naval expeditions reached to south east Asia . Shri Vijay kingdom and its Sailendra dynasty capitulated. Kadram (Keddah) also surrendered to him. Almost all south east Asian countries had come under his toes. Not only that , he established maritime trade relations with China . A Chola ambassador was stationed at Chinese Court. The strait of Malacca, the gateway to East Asia was completely under his control . To sum up , no indigenous power so much dominated the indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal as the mighty Cholas did in the mediaeval india. The Chola naval power was aggressive. Its main purpose was to establish extensive trade relations with south east Asian countries and China . 

                                               The great Rajendra 1st Chola 

On the other hand , the great Chatrapati Shivaji is said to be the father of modern Navy in india . However, Navy under Shivaji was defensive. He made Navy effective in guarding coastal regions.Navy was supported by various forts on the coastal regions. But his Navy was not strong enough to flush out western powers from deep sea . According to the historian, B K Apte , Navy under Shivaji was no match to the British Navy in the deep sea. It is worth noting that while Shivaji looted twice Surat, the Mughal depot, in 1664 and 1770 , he didn't dare to loot British factory located at Surat . Nor he ever tried to capture Goa , Daman and Diu from the Portuguese who had entrenched themselves since 1509 . Maratha Navy was adept in protecting the coastal regions because of their better knowledge of the coasts and creeks. But in the deep sea , Maratha Navy could not match European powers. During the Peshwa rule , no adequate attention was paid on the advancement of Maratha Navy. That's why, the British could be able to establish their rule over in the 18th century on account of their naval superiority. 

To sum up, While Navy under Rajendra Chola was assertive, conquering large tracts of land in South East Asia and fostering trade relations, Shivaji 's Navy was structured to protect the western coast of India  so that its territorial integrity could  be  safeguarded . Maratha Navy was basically defensive in nature.