Regionalism is a political and social concept that involves the assertion of a common identity and purpose by people within a specific geographical region, often based on shared language, culture, history, or economic conditions. While it can positively promote regional culture and development, its negative manifestation involves prioritizing regional interests over national unity, sometimes leading to separatism. The roots of regionalism in India trace back to the colonial era, where British administrative policies, such as the creation of presidencies, fostered regional consciousness by ignoring cultural and linguistic coherence. After independence in 1947, regionalism became a potent force, with the problem of accommodating diverse aspirations being addressed by the State Reorganization Act of 1956, which reorganized states primarily on a linguistic basis.
The concept works through the mechanism of Indian Federalism, which is designed to balance regional demands with national integrity. The Constitution of India accommodates these aspirations through provisions like Article 3, which grants Parliament the power to create new states or alter boundaries, as seen in the formation of Telangana in 2014. Furthermore, Article 371 and its sub-articles provide special provisions for states like Nagaland (Article 371A) to protect unique regional needs and identities. Regionalism is intrinsically connected to the rise of Regional Political Parties (e.g., DMK, TMC) and the division of legislative powers between the Centre and States via the Seventh Schedule. A significant recent change was the revocation of Article 370 in 2019, which ended the special status of Jammu & Kashmir, altering a key constitutional accommodation of regional identity.