Hon’ble Prime Minister, Distinguished Leaders, Excellencies, Delegates, Participants,
It is my privilege to deliver the vote of thanks for the inaugural session of the Raisina Dialogue 2020.
Five years ago, Prime Minister, you gave us a challenge. It was your view that as a rising power, India should not just be participating in global conversations organized by others. You felt strongly that it was important that we create our own platforms, organize
discourses and shape narratives. Five years later, I can state with some confidence that we have delivered to a great measure on those expectations. Lest it encourage the organizers to rest on their laurels, let me also promise you that we will keep improving
with each addition.
The Raisina Dialogue has three key characteristics:
i) While focussed on the change, disruptions and rebalancing underway in the world, it covers a very broad spectrum of subjects and debates. Most important, it is truly contemporary;
ii) Its participants are equally diverse. The range from policymakers and executers to thinkers and activists. The diversity addresses all yardsticks, whether of geography, demography, ideology, gender or interest;
iii) This platform brings together representatives and individuals who you may not commonly find at the same location at the same time. The exchange of perspectives that this allows could possibly grow into something more with the passage of time.
These three characteristics, Ladies and Gentlemen, are exactly what Indian foreign policy today seeks to achieve: a focus on key challenges, a broad engagement with many parties, and managing, if not leveraging, global contradictions. Advancing our interests
in a multipolar world and contributing to global good is what it is all about.
So, having underlined the progress made so far, let me recognize all those who have made it possible. First, ofcourse the Observer Research Foundation , they have been a pleasure to work with as we set about imagining, planning and executing the 2020 edition.
The youngsters of the ORF who have worked so hard deserve special praise. Team MEA, needless to add, has stepped up to the occasion as always. I commend too the speakers, delegates and participants: you collectively define this Dialogue and create the buzz
for which it has become so well known. The seven distinguished leaders, the Prime Minister actually called them Thought Leaders in is meeting with them. They deserve our sincere thanks for setting the tone of Raisina 2020 . But most of all, Prime Minister,
you have our appreciation today ,not only as the inspiration of this Dialogue but our gratitude for unfailingly attending it despite your many responsibilities.
So Ladies and gentlemen you would all agree that we made a great start, avery thoughtful start with this opening session.
I thank you all for being here and wish you two days of discussions and debates ahead.
Thank you.
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