India's soft power is not ornamental but operational, as it converts into dynamism, heritage, and humanism, said senior bureaucrat Sanjay Jaju at the NDTV World Summit 2025, reflecting on how the country is shaping today's world.
The Secretary at the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting drew a fine line between soft and hard powers to explain why India believes in soft diplomacy.
Hard power dominates space and wins wars, but soft power defines time and wins hearts, he asserted, stressing that countries are now measured by the strength of their ideas, cultures, and values. "When Bharat speaks, the world listens, not out of fear but faith. This is India's soft power," said the bureaucrat.
He said India now speaks with the quiet confidence of a civilisation that has endured, evolved, and enlightened humanity for millions of years. But it doesn't aspire to become a superpower. "We aspire to be a power centre of stability and spirituality," he added.
Through every medium, be it cinema, craft, or cuisine, India educates the world about harmony and diversity, he pointed out.
"From Satyajit Ray to SS Rajamouli, Indian cinema has turned culture into conversation. Collaboration is the new currency of culture. Our music blends tradition with technology, our art and craft are a heritage with a heartbeat. Festivals like Diwali and Holi are celebrated across 100 countries as global festivals of light and joy," he said.
He did not leave out the advancement on the technological front. Artificial Intellifence is going to be one of the major disruptions for the economy at large, and that's where India's AI mission is going to ensure that machines learn not only logic but also ethics, he said.
"Innovation with integrity and technology with trust is what our soft power offers to the world," asserted Jaju.
The bureaucrat said India's compassion also walks the talk through initiatives like 'Vaccine Maitri', under which it provided Covid vaccines to several nations, while yoga has become the universal language of wellness.
"Our sages taught us that the world is one family, our scientists proved that the planet is one ecosystem," added Jaju.
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