Turning fault lines into bonds, at home and abroad

For me, the empowerment of India has meant the transformation of this image over the years. The snake charmer has yielded place to the computer. What was once seen as a chaotic country is now seen as a vibrant, thriving democracy. The population that was once seen as a debilitating burden is now an enviable asset. The Indian immigrant, once considered an economic refugee, is welcomed now in an increasing number of countries.

India is no longer a country seen as home to countless impoverished millions in need of food aid, education and relief. It is seen as a country with a critical role in the twenty first century, an economy that is both a very viable investment destination as well as a hub of growth, a polity that is a model for a functioning multi-ethnic, multi-lingual, multi-religious democracy. Today, it is no longer possible to ignore India’s voice; without her, no calculus of the twenty first century is complete.

What are the factors that have contributed to this sea-change in our standing abroad? To my mind, the most critical factor is the way we have nurtured our spirit of freedom and enabled it to enliven all our democratic institutions. The world today marvels at how we have managed to transform possible fault lines—be they of religion, region or language—into bonds that unite.

Our election process, peaceful transfers of power, flexible federalism, independent judiciary, freedom of debate—in Parliament or in the Press—has set standards by which the resilience of societies to handle political challenges is measured. Our billion strong democratic experiment is unique and is seen as such. It empowers every Indian, at home and abroad.

The growing strength of the Indian economy is another crucial element in the process of our empowerment. Wide-ranging reforms, a determined bid towards global integration keeping in mind our own specific circumstances and a commitment to bring the benefits of development to every strata of our society have set the stage for phenomenal growth. The world is paying attention though much more needs to be done to attract the level of investment that we seek. But the effects of economic change have already empowered an increasing number of Indians.

The third factor that empowers us today is the quality of our education. This has transformed our population burden into a bank of talent. It has created and nourished our cutting edge IT industry. It has enabled India to become a nuclear power, a confident explorer of space frontiers, a leader in biotechnology—in fact, a giant of the knowledge industry.

When one is abroad, the true value of Indian education and scientific temper often taken for granted at home, stands out as a major factor of our empowerment. Our efforts have to be aimed at extending this education of excellence to every Indian; the impact on India’s empowerment will be manifold.

And one last point: India is empowered in the world today because of the philosophical underpinning of our foreign policy, the principles that we have held dear, the ideals that we have cherished. The relentless pursuit of peace, the willingness to engage, the enormous contributions to multilateral institutions and above all, the independence of our decision-making have earned respect and admiration for our foreign policy.

Today we continue these traditions in our dialogue with our neighbours and in our energetic engagement with every major power and region in the world. Our consistent efforts to achieve close and friendly political relations, mutually beneficial economic linkages and increased people to people contacts are resulting in tangible empowerment for every Indian.

In the eyes of the world, an empowered India is no longer a matter of doubt; it is already a matter of fact.