The concept is a comprehensive framework of four interconnected pillars: Indian Constitution and Polity, Governance, Social Justice, and International Relations. This framework defines the structure, functioning, and global engagement of the Indian state.
The foundation of this concept is the Constitution of India, an institutional act adopted on November 26, 1949, and enacted on January 26, 1950, to establish a sovereign, democratic republic. It solved the problem of governing a newly independent nation by establishing a federal structure with a clear separation of powers among the Executive, Legislature, and Judiciary.
The mechanism operates through key provisions like Article 14, which guarantees equality before the law, and the system of checks and balances. The judiciary's power of judicial review is a critical mechanism, reinforced by the Basic Structure Doctrine established in the Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala (1973) judgment, which ruled that Parliament cannot amend the Constitution's fundamental features. Governance is connected to the Right to Information Act, 2005, which promotes transparency and accountability through citizens' access to government records. Social Justice involves the implementation of welfare schemes for vulnerable sections and issues related to health and education.
A significant recent change is the replacement of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS), which overhauls the criminal justice system, while the core constitutional provisions regarding the separation of powers and fundamental rights remain the same. International Relations connects India's foreign policy to global groupings and bilateral agreements, such as those with its neighborhood.