National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Saturday said India must strengthen itself not only at its borders but across all domains, including the economy and social development, to respond to a long history of attacks and subjugation.
Addressing the opening ceremony of the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue as the guest of honour, Doval told an audience of around 3,000 young delegates from across the country that India’s past should serve as a lesson and a source of resolve. Invoking freedom fighters Mahatma Gandhi, Subhash Chandra Bose and Bhagat Singh, the 81-year-old former Intelligence Bureau director recalled the sacrifices that led to independence.
“You are lucky that you were born in an independent India. I was born in a colonised India. Our ancestors fought for independence and went through so many trials and tribulations,” Doval said. He noted that Bhagat Singh was hanged, Bose spent his life in struggle, and Gandhi undertook satyagraha to secure freedom for the country.
“Revenge is not a good word, but it can be a huge force,” the NSA said, adding that India must “avenge our history” by becoming strong and self-reliant in every sphere, not only in terms of border security but also in the economy and social development.
Calling the participants leaders of the future, Doval underlined the importance of strong leadership, which he said was evident under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Quoting Napoleon Bonaparte, he remarked that leadership can determine the strength and direction of a nation.
Reflecting on India’s past, Doval said the country had been a progressive civilisation that did not attack others, but paid a price for not being sufficiently self-aware on matters of security. “History taught us a lesson. Did we learn that lesson?” he asked, warning that forgetting history would be “tragic for the country.”
Doval also spoke at length about the nature of global conflicts, asserting that security concerns lie at their core. “Conflicts do not happen because people enjoy violence. They happen because nations seek to protect themselves and impose their terms for security,” he said, adding that India too must be driven by a powerful instinct to protect itself.
Beginning his address on a lighter note, Doval said he was initially taken aback by the invitation to speak to such a young audience, joking that most of them were at least six decades younger than him. Despite the age gap, he said he wished to share lessons from his lived experience.
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