Globalisation and Tribal Integration in India: Undoing Exclusionary Practices for Inclusive Development

The present paper comes in the backdrop of the growing Naxal violence in the country spanning over several states and posing a serious threat to the unity and integrity of India. Scholars such as Amartya Sen, Jean Dreze and Andre Betaille have highlighted the failure of the state in ensuring the identity, security and livelihood of the tribals. The economic reforms initiated in the post1990 period in the form of liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation policies have led to massive displacement of the tribal communities from their natural habitat and livelihood. The paper attempts to unravel the gap between policies and their implementation, which is the main cause of tribals’ exclusion. The author feels that unless affirmative policies gives tribals a voice in the policy-making arena, respects their lives, honour and dignity and protects their language, livelihood, habitat and culture, the current menace of tribal unrest and their taking to the path of violence cannot be stymied.