“Choices today have more deeper strategic implications. Atmanirbhar Bharat is the need of the hour”: Hon’ble External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar

New Delhi: The third edition of Deccan Dialogue, organised by Indian School of Business (ISB) in partnership with Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Government of India, deliberated on theme of ‘Crisis and Cooperation: Imperative in the times of Pandemic’. It is imperative that all stakeholders keep pace with the changes and engage in a policy dialogue where international, national, and local stakeholders can come together to jointly address and respond to the crisis. This dialogue was organised on a digital platform.

Dr S Jaishankar, Hon’ble External Affairs Minister delivered inaugural keynote address and said: “Choices today have more deeper strategic implications and in this context Atmanirbhar Bharat is critical perspective for India. We must build capabilities to effectively realize the fruits of globalization and the current openness is not giving the full picture. The Indian diaspora play an important role in connecting the world and today’s India will not lead any Indian abroad into distress. The pandemic has shown extraordinary social discipline and explore its inherent capabilities”.

Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, Hon’ble Minister for Housing & Urban Affairs (I/C); Civil Aviation (I/C); & Minister of State, Commerce & Industry, Government of India, said: “Atmanirbhar Bharat is not an inward looking trade policy but a thought after strategy that would enable and lead us towards a stronger self-reliant India. Technology will play an important role in Atmanirbhar Bharat and COVID-19 came when technology was receiving quantum boost. We are now amplifying the use of technology due to COVID-19. “Talking about the Aviation sector, the Minister emphasized that there are massive opportunities for investment in the aviation sector and we will soon be able to reposition our-self as global economic player with natural advantages in multiple sectors”.

Ambassador Rahul Chhabra, IFS, Secretary, Economic Relations, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, talking about health security he said: “No body is safe until all of us are safe. Health Security was not a main table agenda in international discussions, but post the pandemic, it has become the top agenda now. India supplied critical medicines to the world at the need of the hour, half of it in a non-commercial basis and was possible only global cooperation and facilitation”.

Shri Sunil Kant Munjal, Member, Executive Board, ISB and Chairman, Hero Enterprise, in his address said: “ISB, over the years, could institutionalize and create research driven institutions within the School focusing on infrastructure, manufacturing, healthcare and public policy. ISB will be delighted to create a separate center of excellence on ‘Business and Diplomacy’ in partnership with MEA”.

Professor Rajendra Srivastava, Dean, Indian School of Business, in his address said: “India has the capacity to become the caregiver of the world. Human capital with technology, collaboration with diaspora are important elements to successful globalization”.

Some of the other prominent speakers at the Dialogue were:

DIPLOMATS: Ambassador Ron Malka, Ambassador of Israel to India.

GOVERNMENT: Arti Ahuja, IAS, Additional Secretary – Health, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India; Ambassador Dammu Ravi, IFS, Additional Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India; Ambassador Shyam Saran, IFS, (Retd) Former Foreign Secretary of India; Ambassador Vikram K Doraiswami, High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh Ambassador C Rajasekhar, IFS, OSD (States), Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India

INDUSTRY: Sunil Kant Munjal, Member, Executive Board, ISB and Chairman, Hero Enterprise; Debjani Ghosh, President, NASSCOM

Deepak Bagla, Managing Director and CEO, Invest India; Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI and Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd; Dr Krishna Ella, Chairman and Managing Director, Bharat Biotech International Limited;

ACADEMIA: Professor Rajendra Srivastava, Dean, ISB; Professor Milind Sohoni, Area Leader and Professor, Operations Management and Deputy Dean, ISB; Professor Mathukumalli Vidyasagar, FRS, Distinguished Professor, Electrical Engineering, IIT Hyderabad; Professor Sarang Deo, Executive Director, Max Institute of Healthcare Management, ISB; Professor Chandan Chowdhury, Senior Associate Dean, and Executive Director, Munjal Institute for Global Manufacturing, Indian School of Business;

DIALOGUE MODERATORS: Govindraj Ethiraj, Founder, IndiaSpend and BOOM and Uma Sudhir, Executive Editor (South), NDTV

Around 1500 delegates representing industry, government and the academia, including students, virtually attended and participated in the third edition of Deccan Dialogue making it a grand success.