Climate change, sustainable development issues of prime importance: President Droupadi Murmu

New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday said climate change and sustainable development are issues of prime importance today and countries across the board should come together to work out solutions for them.

Addressing the faculty and course members of 62nd National Defence College course who had called on her at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here, Murmu said we need to prepare ourselves to face not just the traditional threats but even the unseen ones which also include the vagaries of nature.

The president said we are in a dynamic world where even a small change can have a wide impact, according to a statement issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

“Sometimes, it can have safety and security connotations. The pace and tide of the Covid pandemic is just an example of the threat which humanity faces today. It makes us realise the vulnerability of humankind,” she said.

Murmu said, every threat makes us think about the need to fight it and prevent its recurrence.

“We need to prepare ourselves to face not just the traditional threats but even the unseen ones which also include the vagaries of nature. Climate change and sustainable development are issues which are of prime importance today. It is the need of the hour that countries across the board should come together and work out solutions for them,” she said.

It is at this point that the strategic policies coincide with the foreign policies of the countries, the president said.

“It is a multi-discipline and multi-dimensional approach for which we need to equip ourselves,” Murmu said.

Addressing the gathering, the president said security is a term which we often use in our conversations but it has wide ramifications.

“Its interpretation has expanded drastically in the past decades. What was limited to mere territorial integrity has now come to be seen in political and economic contexts also. Thus, the aim of the NDC course to study 'strategic, economic, scientific, political and industrial aspects of national defence' is even more relevant today,” Murmu said.

She was happy to note that the NDC course has over the years lived up to its aim of educating its participants to have a deep understanding of these issues.

Noting that the 62nd NDC course has 62 participants from the armed forces, 20 from civil services, 35 from friendly foreign countries and one from corporate sector, Murmu said it is this unique feature of this course which has made it win immense appreciation.

She said it gives the course members an opportunity to know different perspectives, thereby widening the horizons of their thoughts and understanding.

The president said India as a nation is taking strides to become 'Atmanirbhar'.

“Various policy initiatives are being implemented to make this vision possible. It is this vision which brings India on the path of development and progress,” Murmu said.

She said it was a proud moment for each Indian when recently the first indigenously built aircraft carrier, Vikrant, was inducted in the Indian Navy.

"Such steps bring a fresh hope and inspiration in the people of India. She expressed confidence that we would continue to tread this path of progress in a steadfast manner,” the statement said.