National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval highlighted the heavy price India paid for its freedom, noting that generations endured humiliation, destruction, and loss. Addressing the youth at the opening of the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue, he urged them to draw strength from history and work toward building a strong, self-reliant India rooted in its values, rights, and beliefs.

Doval emphasized that independent India was hard-won, with ancestors making immense sacrifices. “Our villages were burned, temples looted, and civilisation disrupted. Many faced the gallows. This history challenges today’s youth to carry the fire within them,” he said. While he clarified that “revenge” is not literal, he suggested that learning from history is essential to restore India’s greatness.

He also reflected on India’s advanced and peaceful ancient civilisation but warned that neglecting security threats in the past had costly consequences. “We did not attack or loot others, but we failed to protect ourselves. Forgetting these lessons would be the country’s greatest tragedy,” he added. The Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2.0 began on Saturday at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi and will continue until January 12. The first edition was held in January 2025 at the same venue.