The act of naming something endows it with a definite identity -- from children to countries, a name is the most basic thing one can know about someone or someplace. It is the first building block from which an identity grows, extending outward into behaviors and probable futures. The name of a nation reflects the history, aspirations, culture and behaviors of its people and can, at times, suggest the long-term goals of its leaders. But when those goals change, so too can a name, as evidenced by India's occasional use of the term "Bharat" to describe itself at the recent Group of 20 summit. Though India may not be quite ready to change out its business cards, New Delhi's possible contemplation of such a name change makes sense amid shifting identities, power dynamics and goals in the age of multipolar power politics...
