The News Freedom
New Delhi, December 9
In a thought-provoking speech, Minister of External Affairs Dr. S. Jaishankar on Saturday explored the profound meaning of “Bharat,” attributing it to a deeply ingrained belief and attitude. He elaborated on the various dimensions that encompass Bharat, highlighting its economic, political, cultural, social, and even personal
“To me, Bharat is actually a belief and an attitude,” said Jaishankar. “It has an economic dimension. It has a political meaning. It has cultural, social, I would say even personal expressions,” he added.
The Minister of External Affairs further emphasized the necessity for self-definition, urging, “At the end of the day, the term Bharat means don’t let other people define you. Try and define yourself.” This powerful message underscores the importance of India crafting its own narrative and identity on the global stage.
Jaishankar delved into the historical and symbolic weight carried by the term “Bharat,” highlighting its deep connection to the nation’s collective history and ethos. “The term Bharat, which is so laden with symbolism, actually captures centuries of what we are all about as a people,” he added, emphasising the rich heritage and collective identity encapsulated within the term.
“This is not a world of one power or two power, there are many more countries, today, in the fray,” observed Jaishankar, acknowledging the increasingly multipolar world order. “And, that in many ways, I mean, while very welcome also makes the world a more difficult place to navigate and manage, “he said
The Minister of External Affairs further addressed the evolving global landscape, stating, “Today, we are really looking at the consequences of what happens when trading rules are gamed when competition is unfair…The fact is today, the world is heading towards greater insecurity and more protectionism.”
Towards the goal of Viksit Bharat.
Speaking at the 96th AGM of FICCI in New Delhi https://t.co/qMzKbOHy2d
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (Modi Ka Parivar) (@DrSJaishankar) December 9, 2023
Addressing an audience of business leaders at the 96th AGM of FICCI, Jaishankar recognized the crucial role they play in shaping India’s future. “Business today is something very much bigger than just business, and all of you who are sitting here in many ways, are leaders of modernity and progress,” he said.
Jaishankar elaborated, “Because when you build the economy, when you build industry, as you expand services, as you propagate and spread technology. It is actually the ideas, the concepts, the projects that you do, the mindsets that you have created as a result.”
Jaishankar emphasised the business community’s role in building national strength, urging them to invest in India’s domestic capabilities. “The way in which many other economies, many other economies all of you admire, have done at their homes,” he said, emphasizing the importance of self-reliance.
Jaishankar stressed the importance of building strong domestic supply chains and supporting Indian vendors. “No country will be strong,” he stated, “if it doesn’t have its own supply chain, if it doesn’t have its basic requirements, certainly a large economy, a big nation like India, a nation with the kind of ambitions and future that we have, it is very, very important that we are ‘Atmanirbhar’,” the Minister of External Affairs further said.