From 'India' to 'Bharat': The price tag of renaming our nation

As New Delhi prepares to host the G20 Summit on September 9 and 10, an invitation from President Droupadi Murmu to heads of state under the title 'President of Bharat' instead of 'President of India' has stirred controversy.

Subsequent reports have suggested that the government may introduce a bill to rename the country 'Bharat' during the special session of Parliament scheduled between September 18 and 22.

However, the process of changing the country's name entails more than parliamentary approval; it also involves expenses related to rebranding and marketing.

To estimate the cost of renaming India to Bharat, Outlook magazine referenced a model created by South Africa-based intellectual property lawyer and blogger Darren Olivier. This model draws parallels between renaming a nation and large-scale rebranding efforts undertaken by corporations.

According to the model, the average marketing cost for a major enterprise typically accounts for around 6% of its total revenue, with rebranding costs potentially consuming up to 10% of the overall marketing budget.

In India's case, its total receipts for the fiscal year 2022-23 amounted to Rs 23.84 trillion. According to Olivier's model, renaming the country to Bharat could cost approximately Rs 14,034 crore.

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has expressed concerns about abandoning the name 'India,' which holds an 'incalculable' brand value. He emphasized that while there is no constitutional impediment to using 'Bharat,' one of the country's official names, he hopes the government will retain 'India' alongside it. Tharoor believes that both names should continue to be used, as 'India' carries significant historical and global recognition.