New Delhi, 25 September (H.S.): Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan on Friday called for sustained dialogue, mutual learning and enhanced strategic cooperation among the countries of the Global South to address rapidly evolving global security and development challenges. He said that in today’s interconnected world, countries cannot effectively confront emerging challenges in isolation.

Addressing delegates participating in the fourth edition of the International Strategic Engagement Programme (IN-STEP) here, the Vice President said that the current strategic environment is changing rapidly. Alongside traditional security concerns, issues such as technology, cyberspace, artificial intelligence, energy security, economic resilience, maritime security, climate change and supply chains have also become increasingly interconnected.

He said that IN-STEP provides an opportunity to understand the long-term implications of global developments, develop comprehensive strategic perspectives and formulate appropriate responses. Highlighting the core spirit of the programme in three phrases, he said, “Think globally, engage strategically and work in harmony.”

Radhakrishnan underscored the important role of the Global South in shaping international discourse, saying that the diverse experiences and development priorities of these countries offer valuable lessons in the areas of resilience, development, security, good governance and cooperation. He said that India’s engagement with the Global South is based on mutual respect, shared interests, sovereign equality and respect for the development and strategic priorities of each country.

The Vice President described corruption as one of the major challenges confronting countries of the Global South and called for coordinated efforts to eliminate it. He urged the participants to work towards creating corruption-free systems at every level and to strengthen integrity and transparency in public life.

Referring to India’s assistance to countries of the Global South through the ‘Vaccine Maitri’ initiative during the COVID-19 pandemic, he said that the benefits of scientific and technological progress should reach all of humanity. Knowledge and innovation should be shared for the collective benefit of humankind. He said this is in keeping with India’s ethos of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ — One Earth, One Family, One Future.

A total of 38 delegates, including 25 international representatives from 22 countries, are participating in the fourth edition of the programme. The participating countries include Sri Lanka, Seychelles, Mongolia, Nepal, Mauritius, Maldives, Oman, Guyana, Chile, Argentina, the Philippines, Thailand, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Qatar, Myanmar, Uzbekistan and Brazil, among others.

The two-week-long IN-STEP is being organised by the Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Defence and the National Security Council Secretariat, in collaboration with the National Defence College. The programme aims to provide senior professionals with a platform for exchanging views on strategic, security and development-related issues and for strengthening institutional and professional relationships.

Its previous editions were held in March 2024, October 2024 and October-November 2025.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar