New Delhi, Feb 8
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday underscored the importance of India engaging with the global economy. He stated that international trade agreements should be designed to provide mutual benefits while also protecting the interests of the nation and its farmers.
He was speaking on Day 2 of the Mumbai Vyakhyanmala lecture series, organised as part of the "100 Years of Sangh Journey".
Bhagwat said, "People believe in power; they listen to those who have power behind them." Reflecting on India's civilisational message to the world, he added, "I am going to America soon, and I am also going to start my speech with 'my dear sisters and brothers', but I won't get applauded the way Swami Vivekananda was. People appreciate power."
Speaking on international economic engagement, including India-US trade discussions, the RSS chief underlined the need for balanced agreements.
"International economic affairs will keep going on; isolation is not a way. In deals, if we get something, we are supposed to give something also. If possible, we should make a win-win deal or at least assure our win," he said. Bhagwat also praised the current governance approach, remarking, "The administration we are seeing for the last ten years is fearless and can stand strongly.
Turning to agriculture, Bhagwat stressed that farmers must remain central to policy decisions. "In agriculture, farmers should be their own owners," he said, cautioning against untested reforms. Recalling India's agricultural diversity, he noted, "Our farmers were once at their peak; we had 8-9 thousand rice varieties, but now we have only 3-4 thousand. Wide varieties were taken away." He warned that "rapid experimentation and adopting things without proper testing is not good for our farmers; everything should be tested well before implementation."
Bhagwat also spoke about the ethical dimension of growth, asserting that economic progress should benefit humanity at large. "Economic development should also lead to the development of the world, not just one's own development. That is what makes us human, not animals," he said.
On Saturday, during the first session of the event, the RSS chief said India's trade agreements must be finalised strictly on its own terms and not under external pressure. "We cannot isolate ourselves from the world, but the deal should be on our terms and conditions. We will not do it under anybody's pressure nor by seeing tariffs."
Without naming any country or leader, he added, "We are watching what the superpower is doing. We don't want to become one who intimidates others. As Vishwaguru, we want to lead from within and become an example for the world."
- IANS
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