India aims to be powerful so that no country dictates terms to us: Vice President Radhakrishnan

New Delhi, October 12 (IANS) Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan said on Monday that India aims to become the most powerful nation in the world, not to dominate others or dictate terms to others, but to ensure that no country dictates terms to us.Addressing participants of the 66th Course of the National Defence College (NDC), New Delhi, on the theme “India’s Core Values, National Interests and National Objectives”, the Vice President said, “National strategy must translate national purpose into action and national intent into tangible outcomes.”“Every Nation has its targets, but the means to the end is guided by what the Nation stands for,” he saidReferring to Viksit Bharat @ 2047 as a defining national objective, the Vice President stressed the need to align long-term vision with available resources, sound policy choices and national priorities.He underscored that every sovereign nation, big or small, deserves equal respect and that no country should encroach upon another’s territorial boundaries.The Vice President observed that India’s national interests flow from the constitutional values of sovereignty, democracy, secularism, justice, liberty, equality, fraternity and the unity and integrity of the nation.He underlined five broad priorities: safeguarding India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity; preserving its democratic, secular and federal character; advancing its strategic, political, economic and military objectives; ensuring a stable and secure environment for growth and human development; and contributing to international peace and stability.Highlighting the increasingly interconnected nature of national security, Radhakrishnan called for greater international cooperation to address challenges such as terrorism, cyber threats, pandemics, climate change and transnational crime.He noted that protecting national interests and advancing shared global interests are often mutually reinforcing objectives, requiring coordinated action, information sharing and mutual trust among nations.“Strategic leadership ultimately means placing the larger national interest above the boundaries of one's own domain,” he said.The 122 participants of the course include officers from the Indian Armed Forces, civil services, police and other government organisations, as well as 41 officers from friendly foreign countries.The Vice President highlighted the importance of strategic thinking, integrated policymaking and international cooperation in addressing contemporary security challenges.