Chapter 85: The Unseen Architect

The year 1950. A decade after formal independence, India stood as an undeniable global power. Its economy hummed with efficiency, insulated from external shocks. Its cities expanded with modern infrastructure. Its industries churned out goods that competed with the best in the world. Its military, though rarely seen in action, was known to be formidable. Its diplomatic voice resonated across continents, advocating for a new, equitable world order.

Adav, now fifty-one, remained in the deepest shadows. His name was known only to a handful of the nation's most powerful figures – Bose, a few top cabinet ministers, and the most trusted lieutenants within Bharat Corporation and the intelligence apparatus. To the public, he was merely a reclusive industrialist, a genius behind Bharat Corporation, whose wealth often quietly funded national development projects. His face was rarely photographed, his voice never heard on the radio. Yet, every major policy, every strategic alliance, every technological leap, bore his unseen signature.

He stood on a balcony overlooking the bustling port of Bombay, watching giant cargo ships, many flying the Indian flag, being loaded with Indian-made machinery, chemicals, and consumer goods destined for every corner of the globe. His work for this phase was largely complete. The initial objective of national independence was achieved. The objective of "Global Hegemony" was well underway.

The Codex flickered in his vision, not with urgent alerts, but with broad, strategic projections: [COLD WAR ERA: INITIATED. GLOBAL HEGEMONY: OPPORTUNISTIC PHASE. NEXT CHALLENGES: TECHNOLOGICAL SUPERIORITY, SPACE FRONTIER, GLOBAL RESOURCE DOMINANCE, IDEOLOGICAL RESHAPING]. Adav allowed himself a rare, almost imperceptible nod. The first two decades of his altered timeline had unfolded with chilling precision. The world was his chessboard, and the next moves were already planned.