Over the past quarter century, India has experienced transformative changes in the realms of the economy, foreign policy, politics, and society. Despite these historic shifts, India’s public institutions have not enjoyed a similar transformation. Yet, the ability of government to address challenges from corruption to urbanization will fundamentally define India’s trajectory in the 21st century. This volume examines the institutional foundations of the Indian state and the organizational and institutional context in which it operates. By drawing on the insights of some of the most knowledgeable ... More

Over the past quarter century, India has experienced transformative changes in the realms of the economy, foreign policy, politics, and society. Despite these historic shifts, India’s public institutions have not enjoyed a similar transformation. Yet, the ability of government to address challenges from corruption to urbanization will fundamentally define India’s trajectory in the 21st century. This volume examines the institutional foundations of the Indian state and the organizational and institutional context in which it operates. By drawing on the insights of some of the most knowledgeable scholars and practitioners with deep knowledge of the Indian state, it explores the critical issue of state capacity across four domains: oversight and restraint, the economy, accountability, and policy implementation. Each chapter provides an analytical account of how an institution or set of institutions—from parliament to the Reserve Bank of India—recruit talent, organize themselves to motivate performance, and interact with other agencies. The book not only provides an analytical and empirically-driven framework for understanding India’s institutional evolution but it also offers lessons for reform-minded policymakers and practitioners.