Is India changing its name to Bharat? G20 invite controversy explained

 On September 6th, Indian President Droupadi Murmu sent out invitations for a dinner on the sidelines of the G20 summit, referring to herself as the "President of Bharat" in the English text. This departure from convention, where Indian constitutional bodies typically use the name India in English and Bharat in Hindi, has sparked speculation that the government may be considering an official name change for the country. The president's office declined to comment on the matter. Critics have suggested that the use of Bharat in the invites reflects the Hindu-nationalist ideology of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government and its push for increased use of Hindi. The official name of the country is India in English and Bharat, Bharata, or Hindustan in Indian languages. The constitution uses both names interchangeably, with the English version starting with "We, the people of India..." and Part One stating that "India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States."

WHAT IS THE CONTROVERSY ABOUT INDIA'S NAME?

The invitations for a state dinner commemorating India's hosting of this year's G20 were issued by the "president of Bharat" rather than the office of the President of India, leading to conjecture among domestic and international observers regarding a potential official government decision to rename the country. Certain individuals have posited that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) may be unsettled and reacting to the adoption of the acronym INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) by over two dozen opposition political parties in anticipation of the 2024 general elections.

Constitutional change

The recent surge of conjecture has reignited past discussions that were deliberated and resolved in the Constituent Assembly in September 1949. Article 1 of the constitution, which pertains to the appellation and territory of the Union, designates the nation as "India, that is Bharat". In essence, the two designations for the country have always been deemed interchangeable. Therefore, the proposed modification would necessitate amending the constitution to eliminate the mention of "India".

Compounding the situation is the fact that a special session of the Indian parliament has been convened for September 18-22, thereby intensifying conjectures that this matter is on the agenda.