Introduction

During the spring months of 2016, Narendra Modi’s regime seemed to have succeeded in bringing about an impressive surge of growth in the Indian economy: in late May, the Central Statistics Office reported that the country’s GDP grew at 7.9 per cent during the first quarter of the year—up from 7.2 per cent the previous year. There are good reasons to doubt the integrity of the growth figures, and the Indian economy is still failing to create employment at a satisfactory rate. Moreover, beyond these immediate concerns, it is also a fact that India’s socioeconomic trajectory remains fundamentally unequal and uneven. There are good reasons to doubt the integrity of the growth figures, and the Indian economy is still failing to create employment at a satisfactory rate. Moreover, beyond these immediate concerns, it is also a fact that India’s socioeconomic trajectory remains fundamentally unequal and uneven.