One of the early acts of the Narendra Modi government, announced from the ramparts of the Red Fort on 15 August 2014, was the dissolution of the Planning Commission and its replacement with a new entity – the NITI Aayog. The intent was made amply clear – old-style central planning was out; new-style reforms agenda was in. With this step, India, supposedly the last surviving bastion of central planning, would join the rest of the world in embracing a market-led process of growth and development. It was certainly a bold vision, but unfortunately ahistoric. But be that as it may, it was quite clear even at the outset that the NITI Aayog would eventually have to be mandated to develop a formal strategic plan for the country, even though the nomenclature may be changed.

The inevitable has happened. The NITI Aayog has been charged with developing a 15-year vision, a 7-year strategy, and a 3-year implementation framework. Although expectedly the term ‘plan’ is scrupulously avoided, it is quite obvious that planning is back. This is a good thing. After all, the principal function of planning is to evolve a shared commitment to a common vision and an integrated strategy not only in the higher echelons of government but among all stakeholders. No development strategy can be successful unless each component of the system works towards a common purpose with the full realization of the role that it has to play within an overall structure of responsibilities. The NITI Aayog mandate meets this requirement admirably.

However, for this to happen, it is not sufficient that the vision and the strategy are clearly articulated in a formal document which is communicated and is readily available to everyone in the government, and appropriate orders are issued for compliance and implementation. Nor is it enough that all other stakeholders, in the states and in the public at large, are kept abreast through a well thought-out communications strategy. The process through which the vision and the final strategic plan are evolved and implemented can be at least as important as both the product (that is, the strategic plan) and the communication strategy.