New Delhi || 22-11-2024 The Vice-President of India, Jagdeep Dhankhar addressed the participants of the 64th National Defence College Course on 21 November 2024 in New Delhi, on a topic ‘India’s Core Values, Interests and Objectives’.
Drawing attention to Bharat’s ancient wisdom VP Dhankhar said that, “ As global peace fractures, wars intensify, and hostilities harden into doctrine – all while climate crisis looms – humanity teeters on a precipice, Salvation may lie in embracing India’s ancient wisdom: millennia-old principles of harmony, tolerance and coexistence.”
He further added that, as the world’s largest democracy, India celebrates its diversity with several official languages, multiple religions, and varied ethnicity canvas under one Constitution ensuring freedom and equality. Peaceful Coexistence finds reflection in our philosophy over the ages. India’s foreign policy emphasises respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity of nations and primacy of dialogue over conflict. Unity in Diversity has been ever exemplified both in thought and action. India embraces differences across festivals, cuisines, languages, cultures as strengths, inclusive and distanced from divisiveness.
VP Dhankhar underlined that Inclusive development, peace, and universal Well-being while nurturing the environment is at the heart of Indian philosophy. Saying that India’s core values for ages are the foundation of its identity and are premised on India’s civilisational ethos and essence, in the present times they are a blend of ancient wisdom and modernity aiming to fructify people’s aspirations.
Stressing on the need of the nations to focus on strategic security through strong defence capabilities, Vice President Dhankhar underlined that peaceful environment is quintessence for growth.
In his address Jagdeep Dhankhar further stated that India’s interests are driven by the welfare of its people and global peace while emphasizing that the menace of terrorism and fundamentalism be combated in tandem and togetherness. With economic development, people centric growth, inclusive development as paramount and priority. India is focused on evolving as an innovation hub. These are evidenced with initiatives like Make in India and Digital India fostering innovation and entrepreneurship for its young population.
Referring to India’s ambition to become ‘Viksit Bhart in 2047’, Vice President Dhankhar said that, “ The vision of India’s centenary of independence encompasses prosperity, self-reliance, advanced infrastructure, and technological leadership….India is known to have had the largest economy of the ancient and mediaeval world, controlling between one-third and one-fourth of the world’s wealth. India obviously seeks to attain this in present times. This togetherness will define Viksit Bharat in 2047. Indiaʼs core values, interests, and objectives resonate with the aspirations of humanity as a whole.
