Civil Society and the State in Contemporary India: Journey from Policy Advocacy to Policy Implementation

Civil society has a long-standing history in India and has recently gained significant importance, particularly after a policy shift in the early 1990s. During the turbulent and violent era of the 1970s, the state attempted to regain its legitimacy after the imposition of a national emergency by partnering with some civil society organizations for developmental purposes. India formulated its first-ever national policy on the voluntary sector to define the relationship between the state and civil society and create a long-term and institutionalized collaboration between them. This chapter thoroughly examines the conceptual and historical foundations of civil society in India, as well as the internal and external challenges it faces. It also analyzes the impact of these challenges on the partnership between civil society and the state administrative machinery. Overall, the chapter aims to provide an in-depth understanding of the current state of civil society in India and the factors that will shape its development toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).