New Delhi: In a profound articulation of India’s strategic vision, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has unequivocally stated that the nation possesses no option but to be powerful, framing this pursuit of strength not merely as a policy choice but as a fundamental civilizational duty.
His compelling remarks, delivered ahead of the Sangh’s centenary celebrations and just weeks after the successful ‘Operation Sindoor,’ highlight a renewed emphasis on national resilience and self-reliance.
“We are not doing this to dominate world trade, but to ensure that everyone should be able to lead a peaceful, healthy and empowered life. We have no option but to be powerful as we have been witnessing the wickedness of the evil forces on all our borders,” Bhagwat said, explaining the need to have enough strength to secure the nation.
Bhagwat clarified that this drive for power is not aimed at global dominance, but rather to ensure that ‘everyone should be able to lead a peaceful, healthy and empowered life.’ The urgency, he explained in an exclusive interview with ‘Organiser,’ stems from witnessing ‘the wickedness of the evil forces on all our borders,’ necessitating robust national security measures. He stressed that genuine security originates within society itself, not solely from the state. ‘You must defend yourselves. Don’t wait for someone else to do it for you,’ he urged in an exclusive interview with Organiser, the RSS mouthpiece.
This societal call to action aligns seamlessly with the military doctrine demonstrated by ‘Operation Sindoor,’ which prioritised jointness, readiness, and forward mobility. Bhagwat’s parallel concept of ‘Swa’ – a deep-rootedness in civilizational identity – is presented as the bedrock of strategic clarity.
Interestingly, the RSS chief expanded the definition of national security beyond conventional military terms, incorporating elements like caste harmony, strong family values, and ecological responsibility. He posed a critical question: ‘How can a fractured society defend itself?’, linking these ‘Panch Parivartan’ (five-fold transformation) principles to India’s enduring security architecture.
The most striking aspect of his address was the emphasis on deterrence. Bhagwat articulated a desire for India to attain ‘such a strength that globally we are invincible,’ asserting that true power is internal and self-sufficient. ‘For national security, we must not be dependent on others,’ he declared, envisioning a nation that cannot be conquered even by multiple combined powers.
“Grant us such a strength that globally we are invincible. True strength is internal. For national security, we must not be dependent on others. We should be able to defend ourselves. No one should be able to conquer us – not even if multiple powers come together. There are evil forces in the world that are aggressive by nature. We don’t pray for war, but we prepare so that war is not needed,” he said
