Vice-President and President, Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA), Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan today addressed the 25th Anniversary celebrations of ICWA as an Institution of National Importance at Sapru House, New Delhi. He said the Silver Jubilee was an occasion for gratitude and reflection and paid tribute to the founders, former leaders, Directors General, scholars, diplomats, researchers and staff who have contributed to the Council’s distinguished legacy.
The Vice-President congratulated External Affairs Minister and Vice-President of ICWA, Dr. S. Jaishankar, Foreign Secretary Shri Vikram Misri and the entire team of the Ministry of External Affairs for the successful hosting of the BRICS Summit. He said that in a world disturbed by conflicts and contradictions, the unanimous adoption of the New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration was a significant achievement.
He emphasised that the first objective of diplomacy is to build good relations among nations. Human progress and world peace must go hand in hand, and this is possible only when countries recognise each other’s concerns and work towards mutual benefit, he said.
Highlighting India’s growing global role under Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Vice-President said India has emerged as a strong voice for peace, progress and prosperity. He highlighted Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, the world is one family, and cited Vaccine Maitri during Covid crisis, India’s disaster-response efforts, LiFE and global initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance and Global Biofuel Alliance as examples of this philosophy in action.
The Vice-President highlighted India’s achievements in UPI and Digital Public Infrastructure, observing that “transparent payment systems lead to transparent governance.” He said India is sharing its technological and institutional capabilities with the Global South through ITEC and educational collaborations, including the first IIT campus outside India in Zanzibar. “India is emerging on the global stage to lead the Global South,” he said, noting the growing trust and confidence of India’s international partners.
Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan said the changing global environment has made ICWA’s role even more important. He outlined four priorities for the Council: strengthening research on India’s Neighbourhood First, Act East, Global South and Indo-Pacific priorities; expanding work on cyber security, space, critical technologies and global supply chains; deepening engagement with universities and young scholars; and becoming a reliable repository of knowledge on world affairs with an authentic Indian perspective.
The Vice-President said ICWA must prepare itself intellectually and institutionally for Viksit Bharat @ 2047 and work towards becoming one of the world’s respected centres for the study of international affairs. He expressed confidence that the Council would make even greater contributions to India and a peaceful world order by its Golden Jubilee.
The Vice-President also visited a photo exhibition showcasing ICWA’s journey and evolution and presented mementos to former Directors General in recognition of their contributions to the Council.