Аннотация:Abstract This article surveys the place of the economy in constructions of Indian national identity. The theme of physical construction in the literal and metaphorical building of the Indian national economy is explored. New iterations of this longstanding theme are located in an account of a new narrative of India's ‘imagined economy’. The ‘India Shining’ political advertising campaign of 2004 is understood as an encapsulation of the new economic imaginary. The ongoing relevance of the substance of the India Shining campaign is demonstrated and linked to concerns to establish an India as an international brand. Changes in the Indian economy are linked to an account of the postmodern condition.
