When I came here in 1999, all one could hear was the sound of the guns as guns were booming all around. Today I am only hearing clapping of hands.
Can we not wage a war and emerge victorious against poverty. Let us defeat poverty.
Sab kaa saath, sab kaa vikas. This is our mantra.
If 125 crore people work together; India will move forward 125 crore steps.
Through Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana, we want to give impetus to Demand driven development model instead of Supply driven development model. Let the villages say what has to be done, and what not.
Less land, less time, more crop.
Our focus should be on developmental dimensions of atomic science with a special outreach to India’s youth.
We have now reached a level where we should be even more ambitious. We should focus on more tangible mechanisms and outcomes. Make BRICS a platform of Impact.
BRICS must provide a united and clear voice in shaping a peaceful, balanced and stable world. We must harness each other’s strengths, in knowledge, skills and resources.
BRICS should be driven by ‘People to People’ contact. It should explore developing innovative mechanisms of Youth engagement.
The choices we make now will shape the future of not just our countries, but the world at large. We should intensify our cooperation in confronting global challenges like Terrorism, Cyber Security and Climate Change.
Respecting religions is not simply a question of universal tolerance; it is a question of believing that all religions are true.
We teach in our cultural history that the entire universe is a family. So our association with Nature is much deeper and of a very different kind.
The closeness of the India-Afghanistan relationship is not a new phenomenon. It has existed since time immemorial. And as a close friend, ever since India’s Independence, we have done and will continue to do whatever is required to be done to see Afghanistan grow and progress as a close friend.
I think it is a very natural tendency for the nations to increase their influence in the international space, as they pursue their international relations with different countries.
What we teach our children is that earth is your mother that provides; she’s a giver. So, please first ask forgiveness from the mother earth before you step on to it and cause it pain.
India is a democracy; it is in our DNA. As far as the different political parties are concerned, I firmly believe that they have the maturity and wisdom to make decisions that are in the best interests of the nation.
For nearly three decades there has been, by and large, peace and tranquility on the India-China border. Not a single bullet has been fired for over a quarter-century. Both countries are showing great maturity and a commitment to economic cooperation.
If I look at the definition of Hinduism, the Supreme Court of India has given a beautiful definition; it says that Hinduism is not a religion, it is actually a way of life.
India is a civilization where the principle and philosophy of sacrifice is ingrained as part of our upbringing.
I started reading the works of Swami Vivekananda. That gave me courage and a vision, it sharpened and deepened my sensitivities and gave me a new perspective and a direction in life. I decided to dedicate myself to others and till date I am continuing to follow that decision.