Swaminathan Aiyar | Myth of Self-Sufficiency in India's Economy | CCS #economy #history #ccs

In this video: Swaminathan Aiyar led an engaging and wide-ranging dialogue with participants, covering India’s history and its current political and economic landscape. He discussed how global events such as the World Wars and the rise and fall of the Soviet Union shaped global attitudes toward capitalism and influenced India’s economic direction. Aiyar was particularly critical of the Nehruvian model of central planning. He argued that Nehru’s faith in socialism and self-sufficiency isolated India from global trade and innovation, which slowed down its economic growth. He described the ideal of self-sufficiency as a harmful myth, stressing that no country can prosper in isolation. According to Aiyar, India’s progress has come not from planning commissions and protectionism, but from opening up to global markets and embracing competition. About Swaminathan Aiyar: Swaminathan S. Anklesaria Aiyar (born 12 October 1938) is a distinguished Indian economist, journalist, and columnist. He is a consulting editor for The Economic Times and writes regularly for both The Economic Times and The Times of India. Known for his sharp economic analysis and advocacy of market-oriented reforms, Aiyar is also a Research Fellow at the Cato Institute, a prominent libertarian think tank based in Washington, D.C. About Centre for Civil Society: Founded in 1997 on the 50th anniversary of India’s independence, the Centre for Civil Society (CCS) is a leading non-partisan, independent public policy think tank. CCS advances the cause of individua liberty and institutional accountability through evidence-based research, policy training, and strategic outreach. Our work focuses on systemic reform in education, livelihoods, and governance, with a commitment to enhancing the quality of public discourse and policymaking in India. 00:00 - 27:29 Talk 27:30 - 1:23:39 Q & A 1:23:40 -1:24:26 Closing remarks and CCS's appreciation LET'S CONNECT: =============================================   / ccsindia     / ccsindia     / ccsindia   https://x.com/ccsindia