Chapter 58: Standardizing Prosperity – Currency and Commerce

By the mid-1930s, the economic absorption of the princely states was largely complete. Many had willingly acceded, others had been compelled by the irresistible tide of prosperity and the quiet pressure of stagnation. With territorial integrity largely secured, Bose's government, under Adav's overarching guidance, moved to systematically implement uniform economic and legal policies across the newly integrated regions. This was essential for the efficient functioning of a modern, unified nation.

The first step was the full establishment of a national currency: the Indian Rupee. While a national currency existed before independence, Adav redesigned it. New banknotes and coins were issued, featuring images of modern Indian industrial achievements, scientific breakthroughs, and the faces of India's new heroes (excluding Adav himself). The standardization simplified trade, fostered inter-state commerce, and projected an image of a unified, economically powerful nation. Old princely state currencies were phased out, exchanged for the new Rupee at favorable, but firm, rates.

Simultaneously, standardized commercial laws were enacted. This included uniform contract law, property rights, and business regulations, replacing the patchwork of disparate, often archaic, legal systems that had existed across the British provinces and princely states. This legal uniformity streamlined business operations for Bharat Corporation and other Indian enterprises, reducing transactional friction and incentivizing investment across the entire subcontinent. A unified tax system, progressive but designed to specifically incentivize industrial growth through tax breaks for new ventures and reinvestment, was also implemented, driving capital towards Adav's vision.