EXTERNAL Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday underscored the importance of building a comprehensive narrative for ‘Bharat’, asserting, “Bharat is a statement of Independence.” In an address during the ‘Knowledge India Visitors Programme’ organised by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), the EAM expressed his gratitude for the ICCR’s initiative and commended the dedication of the participants to India. Jaishankar began by shedding light on the diverse symbolism of the term ‘Bharat’ in various domains.

 

“The subject, which I thought would be appropriate at this time, is building a Bharat narrative, because in many ways that is exactly what is happening in India. Now, what does it mean to build a Bharat narrative?” said Jaishankar. “People sometimes see it as politics; sometimes they look at the word play and think that this is some kind of linguistic message but if you really look at the term Bharat, it today actually has multiple symbolisms in different domains,” he added.

 

The EAM emphasised that beyond politics and linguistic nuances, ‘Bharat’ holds economic significance, encapsulated in the concept of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat.’ This, he noted, reflects resilience, self-sufficiency, and the expression of talent. “Economically, we would speak about Aatmanirbhar Bharat. So it has a connotation of a certain, resilience, a certain self-sufficiency, a contribution, a talent out there, which is expressing itself,” he also said. Developmentally, Jaishankar pointed out that ‘Bharat’ signifies a commitment to creating an inclusive, just, and fair society.