International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples: Reflecting on Indigenous Rights and Development in India

Abstract The International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples is a global observance that takes place each year on August 9 and is used to highlight the social, political, and economic rights of Indigenous Peoples around the world. Indigenous people, also known as Adivasis, or those who consider themselves as such, make up more than 8.6% of the population of India (more than 104 million people) and are constitutionally defined as ‘Scheduled Tribes (STs)’ in the Indian context. Even with elaborate constitutional provisions for affirmative action, socioeconomic protections, and autonomy in self-governance, Indigenous communities in India remain structurally marginalized, their lands taken away, environments degraded, and their health and educational systems lacking. This study explores the situation of Indigenous rights and development in the context of international frameworks, particularly the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), in India. By employing a qualitative approach to the policy and legal study, this paper reviews pertinent domestic legislation, such as the Fifth and Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA) 1996, and the Forest Rights Act (FRA) 2006. It highlights the ongoing conflicts between the states' extractive development models and Indigenous autonomy (Swaraj) and suggests actionable policy recommendations to address gaps in implementation and close the divide between national development and sustainable Indigenous governance.