The Nehru-Mahalanobis strategy of development, formulated in the early years of India’s independence, represented a deliberate effort to establish a self-reliant and modern industrial economy. It was shaped primarily by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s vision of a planned economy and the economic modeling provided by Professor P.C. Mahalanobis, a renowned Indian statistician. This strategy was the cornerstone of India’s Second Five-Year Plan (1956–1961) and influenced subsequent plans, particularly in emphasizing industrialization as the engine of growth. Understanding its main elements requires examining its approach to economic planning, industrial priorities, and sectoral focus, as well as the achievements and limitations that arose during its implementation. At the core of the Nehru-Mahalanobis strategy was the principle of a planned economy, which meant that economic activity would be guided by state planning rather than left entirely to market forces. The strategy relied heavily on centralized planning, primarily through the Planning Commission, which was established in 1950. The state took on the responsibility of mobilizing resources, allocating investments, and creating infrastructure, especially in industries deemed crucial for national development. This approach reflected Nehru’s belief that a newly independent nation required strong governmental intervention to overcome structural weaknesses and historical underdevelopment. A second key element of the strategy was its emphasis on heavy and basic industries. Mahalanobis proposed that for India to achieve long-term self-sufficiency and sustainable growth, resources should be concentrated on sectors such as steel, machinery, chemicals, cement, and engineering goods rather