Abstract

The modern nation-state emerged in the West through historical processes that challenged the rigorous authority of monarchies and established political legitimacy on the foundation of individual rights Popular sovereignty and most notably the framework of rational consent. It was primarily shaped by intellectual and Political transformations for example the reformation process and the enlightenment project and it increasingly privileged the autonomous individual as the primary source of political authority. In contrast the Indian notion of Rashtra derived its normative foundations from Dharma a civilisational principle that primarily emphasises on moral duties social harmony and the idea of collective responsibility. Rather than viewing the individual as an entity detached from the society the idea of Rashtra situates political authority within an ethical framework that binds rulers and subjects alike through obligation and moral conduct. This paper examines the theoretical divergence