Reborn In 17th century India with Black Technology - Chapter 1152

Capítulo 1152: Emergency and Nationalisation

25th June 1698.

“Boom!”

In the matter of two days, like a magnitude nine earthquake, the news about the declaration of an emergency spread throughout the empire.

“Bharatam Daily: Empire Declares State of Emergency, Europe United in Open Hostility.”

“The Observer: Suez Under Threat, Emperor Orders Full Military Economy.”

“Times of Bharat: Emergency Proclaimed as Eight European Powers Form Grand Coalition.”

“Bangla Batha: Mediterranean Defeat Triggers Imperial Emergency, War Spreads Across Continents.”

“Kannada Nudi: Maharaja Vijay Invokes Emergency Powers, Bharatiya Empire Enters Total War.”

“Tamil Urai: Betrayal in Crete Leads to Emergency Rule, Empire Prepares for Global Conflict.”

“Baloch Daily: Ports Secured, Industries Requisitioned as Emergency Edict Takes Effect.”

“Madurai Herald: Emergency Declared, Ramachandra-Class Battleships Commissioned at Once.”

“Akhand Samachar: Europe Blocks Waterways, Empire Responds with a New War Doctrine.”

Whether it is a national newspaper that publishes throughout the eastern hemisphere, or the regional newspapers that cater to an audience of one language, all of them, without exception, only spoke about the emergency situation and the declaration of war.

This immediately had far-reaching effects throughout the empire.

An accountant going back home through the Metro was shocked as he read the notice about how the Metro would be taken over by the military, and priority of travel would be completely given to the military.

A machine tool operator was surprised when the nationalisation protocol was turned on in his company, and he was given a new set of military clothes.

A corner shop owner with an athletic build broke into a wide smile as he read the letter. Without a moment’s hesitation, he rushed into the bathroom, grabbed a razor, and shaved off his beard and long hair, leaving no trace of his former appearance. When he returned, he gave away the food items that would spoil to his neighbours, then firmly shut down the shop. After hanging a simple “Shop Closed” sign on the door, he locked it with resolve and walked away without looking back with a sense of purpose.

“Hey, kid, where are you off to so soon? Are there no customers today?”

The young man, a large backpack slung over his shoulders, smiled and looked back. “I’ve been recalled to service, aunty. I’ll be taking my leave, and please inform my cousin for me.” He waved cheerfully and walked away without looking back, heading straight for the metro station, where he joined hundreds of other troops who had been called back for battle, their reserve status revoked.

It was not only individuals like labourers, accountants, reserve soldiers, and others who were affected, but organisations were impacted as well.

The notices of nationalisation were sent to all manufacturing companies throughout the empire. Some core companies were immediately nationalised without having a say, while other companies, small and medium in scale, had the option to refuse the nationalisation.

Iron and Steel SEZ

“Quick, agree to it. Don’t waste time, go now.” The old man, already in his seventies, was brimming with excitement as he urged his son, who had inherited the company he himself had built, like an eager child, impatiently waiting for his parents to leave the room.

Darshan was puzzled as he looked at his father. Ever since he had taken over the company, his father had hardly bothered him. He even stopped caring about the business altogether, never offering suggestions, not even during executive meetings. And yet now, he was suddenly so excited. Why? Darshan simply could not wrap his head around it.

“But father, according to the nationalisation scheme, the company will no longer belong to us until the emergency is lifted.” He had spent a lot of time working in the company and building it up after he took over; letting go was difficult. “What if the military doesn’t manage it well? What if they damage the machine tools?” A sliver of worry could not help but cloud his face.

Looking at him like this, the older man could not hold on anymore and clenched his fist and hit his stupid son in the stomach. Too bad his legs had become rusty for him to get up all of a sudden, or else he would have loved to punch him in the face. “Idiot, idiot, don’t you learn history?” He had an expression of iron not becoming steel.

“I should have listened to your mother and sent you to a business school, but blame me, I brought you into the business right after your college.” He lamented with a look of regret, but thinking about the current opportunity, he became energised once again.

“Listen, everything you said is true, it did happen in the past when the emergency was declared during the war against the Mughal Empire, but another thing that also happened is tonnes of investment pouring in from the government to scale up the production of companies that were nationalised.”

“Our company produces spindles; there are many such companies in the empire, but we produce military-grade spindles even for civilian products. Do you think the military will not take a liking to our products? And if they did, in order to supply the war, would they not invest and scale up the production? Just think about it. Our company is simply a medium-scale company now, but when the emergency is lifted, what if it is a large-scale company? Wouldn’t it be a profit, a massive profit, without investing anything?” He clenched his fist, regretting that this opportunity had not come when he was younger.

Darshan widened his eyes. “You’re not lying, father?” He could not believe that the military would actually invest in the company after nationalising it, and when giving it back, they would not ask for anything.

The old man was proud that his son had inherited the legacy he left behind and had taken it a step forward, but looking at his clueless expression now, he couldn’t help but doubt his ability once again. “You know Aakarsh Group of Industries, right?”

Darshan looked at his father with a doubtful look. ‘Why is this old man asking this question?’ “Of course I do, who wouldn’t know one of the biggest companies in the world?”

“During the war, Mr Akarsh’s company was also nationalised. Before the war, he only ran a small company with a few workshops building wooden carriages, but after the war, what he got back was a large-scale carriage manufacturing company. Although Mr Akarsh is an admirable industrialist, even though the company was nationalised, he was still the manager of it within the logistics department of the military. It is undeniable that he got so far only because of the funds and resources of the military.”

“Several of the top companies in the empire got to their current position in this way as well.”

Darshan’s eyes widened.

“That is why I said to you to quickly go before someone snatches this opportunity.”

Darshan was startled awake. “Yes, I’m going, going…”

While there were people like Darshan’s father who saw the emergency as an opportunity, there were also those who viewed it as a curse. These were executives from large corporations whose scale had already reached immense proportions, and for whom the assistance they would receive from the military was minimal at best. Unfortunately for them, from the moment a company was registered in the Bharatiya Empire, one of the core clauses in its terms and conditions stated that, during times of emergency, the company would unilaterally fall under the authority of the empire for as long as required. As a result, the executives could only shake their heads in regret and hope that the emergency would pass as quickly as possible.

News of the emergency declared by the Bharatiya Empire reached all the vassal countries within a month, and they too began mobilising their militaries. Even now, military and financial control in these vassal states remained firmly in the hands of the Bharatiya Empire, so despite being independent kingdoms in name, at their core, they were still overseas territories of the empire. As a result, when the Bharatiya Empire declared an emergency, the vassal kingdoms automatically entered a state of emergency as well, and all major companies within them were subjected to nationalisation.

The situation even affected the ASEAN countries and East Asian countries like Ming, Nippon, and Joseon, making them feel restless, as if they were being compelled to join the war.

Emperor Zhu Yulang of the Ming Empire was old, but his mind was still sharp, so when diplomats from Nippon and Joseon came looking for his opinion, he directly informed them that the Ming Empire would not participate in the battle and would stay on the sidelines. It would supply the Bharatiya Empire with resources if need be, but it will not directly participate. The two kingdoms of Nippon and Joseon, coming under the political influence of the Ming, made the same decision.

As for the countries in ASEAN, they did not have too much leverage to stay out of the matter. Besides, after knowing that the fight was against the entirety of Europe, the people who still read about their history, about how they were colonies of European countries, were riled up and ready to fight the colonisers and get their revenge.

Unaware of the true nature of the situation, far away in Europe, people were celebrating. Banquets were thrown across kingdoms, and noble parties were held to toast what they believed was a victory. Yet in the land known as the European road roller, Russia, its emperor, Peter Ivanovich Romanov, was far less enthusiastic than his western neighbours.

Given that he ruled the biggest empire in the world, which spanned both Europe and Asia, he could understand the level of war mobilisation that was going on in the east. The entire Middle East, several countries in Africa, the entire Southeast Asia, and the entirety of Suvarna Dwipa were all preparing for war, and all of this, added with the mainland of the Bharatiya Empire, even a fool could tell that this was not a simple retaliation to take back what was lost. The Emperor of the Bharatiya Empire was planning something big.

So despite being incessantly pressured by the monarchs of various countries to join the coalition, he resolutely distanced himself from them and decided to see how the situation would unfold.

P.S. Thanks ABHI29, for the Pizza

Like it ? Add to library！