The Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan is a policy framework and a national mission for a Self-Reliant India. It is not an Act or a specific institution, but a comprehensive economic strategy. The initiative was formally launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 12, 2020, as a special economic package to address the severe economic disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown. The initial stimulus package was valued at ₹20 lakh crore, which was approximately 10% of India's GDP. The core philosophy is to integrate India more deeply into the global supply chain by being self-sustaining, explicitly rejecting protectionism or isolationism.
The mission is built upon five key pillars: Economy, Infrastructure, System (technology-driven), Vibrant Demography, and Demand. Its mechanism focuses on structural reforms related to Land, Labour, Liquidity, and Laws. Key provisions included the launch of the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) to provide collateral-free automatic loans of up to ₹3 lakh crore to businesses, including MSMEs. A significant change was the revision of the definition of MSMEs by amending the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act, 2006.
In the defence sector, the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) limit was raised to 74% under the automatic route, alongside imposing import prohibitions on military items to boost domestic production. For agriculture, a ₹1 lakh crore Agri Infrastructure Fund was created, and the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, was amended to deregulate the sale of certain produce. The Abhiyan is closely connected to the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes and the popular slogan "Vocal for Local". The initiative has seen subsequent phases, including Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan 2.0 and 3.0, announced later in 2020.