The Preamble to the Indian Constitution strongly reflects the essence of a 'social contract' theory. It begins with the powerful phrase, "We, the People of India, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic Republic... do hereby Adopt, Enact and Give to Ourselves this Constitution." This opening signifies that the Constitution's authority is derived directly from the people, not from a monarch or external power. It represents a collective agreement by the citizens to establish a political society and govern themselves under a set of fundamental principles.

Like a social contract, the Preamble outlines the foundational values and aspirations that the people collectively commit to uphold: Justice (social, economic, political), Liberty (of thought, expression, belief, faith, and worship), Equality (of status and opportunity), and Fraternity (assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation). These are the terms of the 'contract' that the people have 'entered into' with themselves, agreeing to live under a common framework that guarantees these ideals. It establishes the legitimacy of the state and defines the relationship between the state and its citizens, based on mutual consent and shared objectives, much like the philosophical concept of a social contract.