Presidential Speech Part-6

The world order is fast changing in favour of Asia

Our party is synonymous with Nationalism. Bringing back the lost glory to our motherland is our duty. And this we have to do against the backdrop of the transformation that is now taking place in the world order. The global domination by the West --particularly by the United States of America-- is rapidly becoming a thing of the past. Last years financial meltdown and economic recession in western countries is not to be seen as a minor downturn. They have had a deep impact on their economic activities. Unemployment is high. Western countries are waking up to the unsustainability of high-cost, wasteful and excessively consumerist lifestyles not to speak of the unsustainable levels of military spending to maintain their global hegemony.

As a consequence, the centre of gravity of the world economic order is irreversibly shifting from the West to Asia. Undoubtedly, China has been a big beneficiary of this change. But the fact that India also can quickly emerge as a major global power is now being recognized by more and more people around the world. No major problem affecting the world -- climate change, global economic slowdown, restructuring of the global financial architecture, or how to tackle the scourge of international terrorism -- can now being discussed without seeking Indias participation and cooperation. I regard this change as a historic opportunity for India, perhaps the greatest opportunity since Independence. This is the opportunity to rise as a strong and prosperous nation that has a strong voice in the comity of nations.

We in the BJP must recognize this opportunity. Let us evolve an appropriate response that reflects in our political activities, our policies and in the functioning of our governments, including local bodies. We are an India First party and have no hesitation in extending support and cooperation to the central government, and non-BJP governments in various states, wherever and whenever they are taking the the nation forward in the direction of this historic new opportunity.