Why India is considering changing its name

Some people, including the prime minister, have shown enthusiasm for changing India's name to Bharat

Kashmiri men wave Indian National Flag during Tiranga rally In Baramulla Jammu
(Image credit: Nasir Kachroo / NurPhoto / Getty Images)

The world's most populous country is officially called the Republic of India. While the nation also has many other unofficial names and nicknames, its formal moniker remains "India" — at least for now. There has been a push among some people in India, including some in the highest levels of government, to officially change the country's name to "Bharat" — the Hindu word for India. 

A historical term for the region, a plan to change the South Asian country's name has seemingly been gaining traction in recent weeks, punctuated by a series of events at the G20 conference in India's capital, New Delhi. At the opening summit of the conference, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sat behind a placard that said Bharat, not India. President Droupadi Murmu also sent out invitations for a G20 reception dinner that referred to her as the "President of Bharat."

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Justin Klawans, The Week US

 Justin Klawans has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022. He began his career covering local news before joining Newsweek as a breaking news reporter, where he wrote about politics, national and global affairs, business, crime, sports, film, television and other Hollywood news. Justin has also freelanced for outlets including Collider and United Press International.