Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan Emphasizes Strategic Cooperation Among 'Global South' and Corruption-Free Systems
During the fourth edition of the International Strategic Engagement Program (IN-STEP), the Vice President appealed to developing nations to work collectively to address security and development challenges.
Vice President Shri C.P. Radhakrishnan addressed the delegates of the fourth edition of the 'International Strategic Engagement Program' (IN-STEP) at the Vice President's House. On this occasion, he appealed for continuous international dialogue, mutual learning, and strategic cooperation to tackle rapidly evolving global security and development challenges.
The Vice President provided the participants with the mantra: "Think globally, engage strategically, and work collectively." He highlighted that in the current era, challenges such as technology, cyberspace, artificial intelligence, energy security, maritime security, climate change, and supply chains have merged with traditional security concerns, making it difficult for any single country to face them alone.
Emphasizing the importance of developing countries in international dialogue, Shri Radhakrishnan stated that India's engagement with the countries of the 'Global South' is based on mutual respect, shared interests, and sovereign equality. Identifying corruption as a major challenge for developing nations, he called for coordinated global efforts to eliminate it and stressed the importance of honesty and transparency in public life.
Referring to India's spirit of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' (The World is One Family), the Vice President said that the benefits of scientific and technological progress should reach all of humanity. Citing the 'Vaccine Maitri' initiative during the COVID-19 pandemic, he noted that innovation and information should be shared for the collective welfare of all.
IN-STEP is a two-week program organized by the Ministry of External Affairs, the Ministry of Defence, and the National Security Council Secretariat in collaboration with the National Defence College. A total of 38 delegates are participating in this fourth edition, including 25 international representatives from 22 developing countries. These include nations such as Sri Lanka, Seychelles, Mongolia, Nepal, Mauritius, Maldives, Oman, Guyana, Chile, Argentina, Philippines, Thailand, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Qatar, Myanmar, Uzbekistan, and Brazil.
