Data Lab | From India to 'Bharat': What's the price tag of a national rebrand?

India is currently caught in a whirlwind of uncertainty, with rumours of a significant change in the pipeline – the prospective rebranding of the nation as "Bharat".

The speculations stem from the recent G20 Summit hosted by India on September 9 and 10, wherein President Droupadi Murmu's invitation for the dinner reception referred to her as the "President of Bharat," in Hindi, instead of the conventional "President of India."

The conjecture is further fuelled by the forthcoming five-day special parliamentary session starting on September 18, with heightened expectations of a significant government decision.

Following initiatives like the Uniform Civil Code and 'one-nation, one election,' speculation now revolves around the formal change of our country's name from 'India' to 'Bharat' through a constitutional amendment under Article 368.

"From a constitutional perspective, any name change would introduce a normative shift in the interpretation of the constitution itself. Using the name 'Bharat' would also raise the question of what the term 'Bharat' signifies," explained Ashit Srivastava, Professor of constitutional law, National Law University, Jabalpur to WION.

In many theocratic states, when terms signifying a specific religion are employed, the laws tend to align closely with that religion's teachings. If we examine the constitutions of countries like Pakistan, Sri Lanka, or those in the Middle East, a common feature emerges: they explicitly define the state's religion and often use it as the normative foundation guiding all legislative alignment, explained Srivastava.

If India, proclaiming itself a secular country, relinquishes the name 'India' and adopts 'Bharat,' it would raise questions about what it might mean.

"In a secular nation like ours, adopting the name 'Bharat' might carry a distinct leaning towards a specific community," opined Srivastava. 

Also read | Explained | Origin of the name 'Bharat' - India's past, present and future

How much would it cost?

This very idea of a name change has also prompted experts to calculate the financial implications of such a rebranding venture on the nation's treasury.

While the act of changing a country's name may initially seem symbolic, it would necessitate significant modifications at local, national, and international levels. From revising government documents and maps to updating highway signage and promoting the rebranding, each aspect would bear a financial burden for the nation.

Drawing insights from the experiences of other countries that have undergone similar transitions, such as eSwatini (formerly Swaziland), offers valuable perspective.

In 2018, the cost estimation for eSwatini's rebranding was not explicitly disclosed, but intellectual property lawyer and blogger Darren Olivier, based in South Africa, devised a noteworthy formula.

Olivier proposed that, for a large company, the average marketing budget represents about six per cent of its revenue. In eSwatini's case, this would amount to $60 million, with rebranding budgets typically constituting 10 per cent of these marketing costs. This formula yielded an estimated $6 million cost for the eSwatini government, a significant sum for a smaller nation.

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