COVID-19 Pandemic in India Points to Need for a Decentralized Response

Abstract

The inter-governmental response to the COVID-19 pandemic in India not only revealed centralized tendencies but also exposed weaknesses in the administrative and planning processes needed for a cohesive but flexible national response. This paper highlights some of the subnational states’ early responses to increasing COVID-19 cases and argues that, while India resorted to centralized measures to deal with the pandemic, a decentralized response may have proved more beneficial. Policy recommendations following this line of thinking conclude the article.