New Delhi, 12 October (H.S.): Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan said on Monday that India aspires to become the world’s most powerful nation not to dominate other countries or dictate terms to them, but to ensure that no country can impose unfair conditions on India. He emphasised the importance of respecting every nation’s sovereignty and refraining from encroaching on the territorial boundaries of other countries.

Addressing participants of the 66th course of the National Defence College (NDC), Radhakrishnan said national strategy must translate the country’s objectives into concrete action and tangible outcomes. He stressed that aligning national values, interests and objectives was essential for safeguarding national security and promoting development.

The Vice-President said India’s national interests were rooted in its constitutional values, including sovereignty, democracy, secularism, justice, liberty, equality, fraternity, and the unity and integrity of the nation. He identified protecting sovereignty and territorial integrity, preserving the democratic and federal system, and advancing the country’s strategic, political, economic and military objectives as key national priorities.

Referring to India’s civilisational philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (the world is one family), Radhakrishnan said national values guide the country’s engagement with the rest of the world. He highlighted India’s Vaccine Maitri initiative during the COVID-19 pandemic, its assistance to countries affected by disasters, and its participation in international efforts to address climate change.

He said international cooperation was essential to tackling challenges such as terrorism, cyber threats, pandemics, climate change and transnational crime. Protecting national interests and advancing shared global interests, he noted, could complement each other. Achieving these objectives required coordination among nations, information-sharing and mutual trust.

Describing Viksit Bharat 2047 as a major national objective, the Vice-President said the country’s long-term vision must be aligned with available resources and national priorities. National security, he explained, extended beyond protecting the country’s land borders, airspace, maritime interests and cyberspace to creating favourable conditions for sustainable development and prosperity.

Radhakrishnan called for stronger cooperation with countries of the Global South, emphasising that every sovereign nation was equal, regardless of its size. He urged countries to expand collaboration in technology, trade, connectivity, education, innovation and capacity-building. He also identified corruption as a major challenge facing the Global South and stressed the need for collective efforts to eradicate it.

The 66th course of the National Defence College comprises 122 participants, including officers from the Indian Armed Forces, civil services, police and other government organisations, as well as 41 officers from friendly foreign countries. Air Marshal Manish Kumar Gupta, Commandant of the National Defence College, and other officials were also present on the occasion.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar