Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am pleased to be here to inaugurate the Manekshaw Centre as well as the seminar on "The Role of Force in Strategic Affairs", organized as a part of the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the National Defence College. As NDC has been able to successfully foster a culture of strategic thinking and analysis, it has emerged as a premier institution of strategic studies in India. Its training courses attract the best and brightest. Its ability to engage not only the defence personnel, but also civilian officers, is a tribute to the multi-dimensional approach of its training. It can count among its alumni officers from various countries across the globe. Their participation has enriched the quality of NDC courses. Its alumni have risen to the highest positions in their careers and in their countries. We have amongst us His Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, the King of Bhutan and we are proud that he attended the 45th Course of the National Defence College and I warmly welcome him.

I would like to begin by congratulating the brave personnel of our Armed Forces, who risk their lives to defend our freedom. We have had a number of Officers, who throughout their careers showed the way, through their sterling qualities. One can never forget the leadership provided by the Late Field Marshall Sam Manekshaw, who led by example at a crucial time in the military history of our nation. It is a matter of immense pride to the nation that our Forces are professional, and have time and again displayed their dedication and valour. Many of them have even made the supreme sacrifice. They remind us that we cannot take our security for granted.

I understand that this Seminar will take a holistic look at various aspects of national security and strategic issues, including the changing nature of warfare, role of force, the existence of non-state actors, nuclear deterrence and international responses to war. I am confident the deliberations at this event will significantly contribute to our understanding of changing requirements of security in the 21st Century.

India is a peace loving nation. Historically, we have never coveted territory nor have we been an expansionist power. We have no aggressive intent. Our strategic doctrine is derived from our civilisational values of peace, tolerance and mutual co-existence. We wish to live in peace and harmony with our neighbours based on mutual respect, non-interference in each other's affairs and in accordance with principles and Charter of the United Nations.

Our objective, as indeed that of other nations, is the progress and prosperity of the country. Our primary challenge is the eradication of poverty, disease and illiteracy that afflict millions of our people. However, no nation can prosper without its borders being secure and security remains the basic edifice on which developmental pursuits are built. We need to be adept at managing the constantly changing nature of warfare and threats to our national security. A strong defence and an effective deterrence are essential to preserve peace. Hence, we have to remain alert for any eventuality and provide our Armed Forces the necessary resources to deter any aggression or threat, even as we pursue the goal of creating an external environment that is conducive to our development process.

Given the size of our country and our economy, it is but natural that India should have global interests and a significant stake in ensuring that the international system is stable and conducive to peace and prosperity. We believe that greater international co-operation is the best way to secure this objective.

Our greatest strength is the moral force that we bring to bear on global stage. It is India's commitment to democracy, rule of law, pluralism and our values that have enabled us to earn the world's respect. The protection of the values that India stands for is a matter of national priority. Threats to these basic concepts need to be addressed. One of the foremost threats that the civilized world is confronted, with is from terrorism and India has been its victim. As the horrendous attacks in Mumbai demonstrated two years ago, terrorist groups have become more sophisticated and are able to use advanced technology and equipment in their objective of killing innocents. But, terrorism is a global challenge with a world wide network that threatens regional and global security. The world community has woken up to this challenge. India believes that terrorism has to be confronted with all the force at our command and in close co-operation with the international community.

There are other challenges to security, many of them far removed from the classical notions of inter-state conflict. As the world has globalized, so too have these challenges, no longer respecting national borders. Transnational crimes, piracy, drug trafficking and cyber attacks are all examples of these new threats, many of which are interlinked. All this requires that we must develop capabilities of adequately responding to not only the traditional threats, but also the new threats of the 21st Century. The tools available to us are no longer limited to military power alone. Other attributes of power, including soft power, economic strength and technological advances have an increasing role to play.

The justification of the use of force itself has always been subject of controversy. It is a measure of the progress that we have made as humans that we no longer treat wars as the first mode of resolving differences. The use of force in international relations must be resorted to as the last option. We must always be guided by the philosophy that preventing wars is better than waging them. Guided by this philosophy, India has been one of the largest contributors to the peacekeeping operations of the United Nations throughout the world. Our men and women in uniform serve in very difficult and dangerous trouble spots of the world to harness the use of force for the maintenance of peace and security.

We have also seen that force in the traditional sense has been deployed for humanitarian assistance and disaster management. By this, it has contributed to the common good and as in the case of the Tsunami or Cyclone Nargis led to greater regional co-operation and understanding.

In conclusion, I would like to say that India has been widely recognized as a factor of peace and stability not just for our region, but also for the entire world. India remains actively engaged with its global partners and will work together with them for the promotion of international peace and security and realize its rightful place in the world order.

With these words, I convey my greetings to all present here and I wish the Staff and the alumni of the National Defence College the very best for the future.

Thank You, 
Jai Hind!