This paper is an attempt to understand the psyche of nation branding and takes a systematic look at all the elements that go into the making of "Brand India". Taking cues from product marketing, it proposes a step-by-step algorithm for creating and sustaining the concept of "Brand India". Finally, the effectiveness of any campaign has to be measured for the value that it brings to the table. For this the author has proposed a Brand Scorecard, which will over a period of time appraise how "Brand India" fares in the international arena.

India is the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, grandmother of legends and great grandmother of tradition. Our most valuable and most instructive materials in the history of man are treasured up in India only.

Nations evoke notions, within and outside of themselves and very often, it is those notions that define nationality and national identity. The efficacy of those notions towards driving a nation is amply exemplified with the Indian experience, with India once upon a time being perceived as a brand leading the world in thought, word and deed. Today, the nation struggles to regain vitality, dynamism and most importantly its niche as a collective whole in the world. There was a point of time in history when India was in full bloom and commanded such equity in some respects that it could have been easily called "Brand India" had there been a management concept all those years ago. Uniqueness of Brand India in the past has been recorded in the books of history in the following form.