Three qualities should decide road-maps for the younger generation, says External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar.
Speaking at the convocation of the Parul University, Vadodara, he said:
"One, develop strong work habits early in life. It will make you serious and credible as a person. Avoid becoming shallow, because, believe me, that trait has no shelf-life.
Two, it is a competitive world and understandably, all of us strive utmost to win. But do not stoop low for that reason even if others do.
And three, take on responsibilities, because there is no better teacher in the world. Those who have never shouldered responsibilities will remain immature, without the gravitas to lead."
"Just as nations have built their image, individuals too have their own branding, they develop their own reputation. Perhaps, this is a moment to reflect on personal qualities, traits and approaches. I strongly believe that young people should be optimists – they should be optimists because more than any other demographic, they aspire to a better tomorrow. But that effort should be rooted firmly on the ground, in realism.
When analysis is divorced from ground reality, it can only end badly. We have seen that to our cost in the early years after independence."
He also stated:
"The world today holds unparalleled opportunities, even while it confronts daunting challenges. Addressing either of them is best done through partnerships and collaborations. No country, however large and powerful, can manage alone.
That is the reality of interdependence and of globalization, as also a statement about the limits of power.
We may talk a lot about the promise of technology. But whether it is talent, whether it is data or it is resources, everything cannot be just nationally generated or controlled.
In fact, the very idea of a global order, or indeed of international relations, is the assumption that nations have to work with each other for their mutual and collective benefit. The rest is about setting optimal terms to do so.
"Perhaps, some of you are wondering why I am labouring the obvious. And the answer is that the contemporary discourse has many assertions to the contrary.
Some do not give that much value to friendships; others have hardwired their cynicism into policies and structures. And that is why to foreign students, I highlight, just as your President did just now, the relevance of Vasudaiva Kutumbakam, the world as a family.
"Now, having lived in India for some years, I think all of you can assess for yourself our openness, our pluralism and our diversity.
As also our long tradition of growing with the world, instead of distancing ourselves from it. In many ways, we stand out by promoting commonness, rather than seeking uniformity.
That you can see in our languages, in our faiths, in customs, traditions, cuisine and practices. Our openness to each other in India makes us just as open with the world. We therefore neither build walls – real or metaphorical – nor impose our ways on others.
"It has become a fashion in some quarters to be openly transactional when it comes to dealing with other nations. Bear in mind that some are actually practicing it in reality, even while preaching the opposite.
There can be a legitimate debate about how best to engage the world. Some of it may be driven by cost benefit; but among certain societies, sentiment and values also count for something, in fact they count for a lot.
"India belongs to that category. Even while pursuing our national goals, we have always kept in mind a larger obligation to the world and to the international community.
Now, our resources may be limited, but let me say, India has always had a large heart. And that is why, still being a developing country, we have undertaken more than 600 development projects in 78 nations across various continents.
For that very reason, even while we were in the midst of taking care of our own, we supplied vaccines to 99 nations and medicines to a 150 during the COVID pandemic.
When we advocate the interests of the Global South, it is for a reason that only a member of that fraternity can appreciate. Doing the right thing is also doing the smart thing.
In an age of narratives, it is also to be expected that friendships will be professed by many. After all, one goal of diplomacy is to maximize solidarity with other nations to strengthen one’s own position.
Some countries do that through collectives based on geography and history; some others invoke faith, language or culture.
"India’s endeavour, even while building on bonds of proximity, sociology and heritage, has been to promote goodwill through development. To that end, we have utilized two broad approaches that drive our activities abroad. One is to share our experiences in a very concrete manner with partners, conscious that they are probably more relevant to their needs than those that our partners could access elsewhere.
"The other is to continuously strengthen capacity building, so that partners have a better ability to evaluate and make their own choices. Together, what it does is to give our partner countries – especially those of the Global South – more options as well as a stronger hand in negotiating with others in the world.
"Let me give you some concrete examples, starting with access to clean water. The Jal Jeevan Mission has in fact been a flagship initiative of the Modi Government at home.
Now, if you look abroad, that very objective has been executed by us in a major way in Tanzania, in Mozambique, in Maldives and in Malawi.
Or take electricity and its efficient transmission. Capabilities developed at home are being deployed today in Bhutan, in Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, Benin and Gambia.
The Minister said:
"...let me draw your attention to health, which is so much in our minds after the COVID pandemic. Indian pharmaceuticals have helped to keep healthcare affordable and accessible the world over.
Our Bhabhatron cancer treatment machines are today in use in Mongolia, in Uzbekistan, in Myanmar and in Kenya among others.
Even our low-cost pharmacies which are called Jan Aushadi Kendras are beginning to get attention abroad, starting with Mauritius, and in fact, the supply of Jan Aushadhi medicines is ongoing to Nauru and to Guyana.
Our renewable experiences are also being similarly shared through the International Solar Alliance. Similarly, our disaster preparedness is being done through the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure.
Most important, Digital Public Infrastructure, whose benefits all of you personally experience every day in India, it is today receiving global traction.
Among those who have shown interest include Sri Lanka, Kenya, Tanzania, Colombia, Cuba and Angola.
The same logic is also visible when it comes to capacity building. Our objective is to create capabilities on a sustainable basis in other societies, drawing on our experiences and learnings.
He said: "It is necessary that you differentiate between day-to-day concerns, however dramatic they may be, and the more perennial issues that the world confronts. And indeed, there are some problems that affect us all and can be expected to continue in the foreseeable future.
"Terrorism would surely rank high in that list.
Recent events have only sharpened our awareness. In Pahalgam, what we saw was an attempt to devastate the tourism economy of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, as well as an evil design to sowing religious discord. The barbarity of the killings required an exemplary response, which was delivered by destroying terrorist command centres, especially in Bahawalpur and Muridke.
It is imperative that those who sponsor, nurture and utilize terrorism for their ends are made to pay a high cost. That it warranted a forceful response even after the 26/11 attack in Mumbai in 2008 is widely acknowledged. But times have changed and our resolve is much stronger now.
Terrorism epicentres are no longer immune. India’s zero tolerance for terrorism is manifest today through its actions. We will never give in to nuclear blackmail.
And whatever decisions have to be taken in India’s national interest are taken and will continue to be taken.
As we responded to the Pahalgam attack, it was also heartening to witness the understanding from other nations of our right to defend ourselves against terrorism."
ends
No comments:
Post a Comment