**Summary:**
On August 19, 2025, the Officer Trainees of the Indian Foreign Service (2024 Batch) met with the President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, at Rashtrapati Bhavan. During the address, the President congratulated the officers and emphasized the importance of upholding India's core values – peace, pluralism, nonviolence, and dialogue – while remaining adaptable to global changes, including geopolitical shifts, the digital revolution, climate change, and contested multilateralism. The President highlighted India's role as a key player in addressing global challenges such as the North-South disparity, cross-border terrorism, and climate change, leveraging its position as the world's largest democracy and a growing economic power. She underscored the significance of cultural diplomacy, urging the officers to promote India's heritage, including Yoga, Ayurveda, millets, and its diverse artistic and spiritual traditions. The President stressed that diplomatic efforts should align with India's domestic needs and the national objective of achieving "Viksit Bharat" by 2047. She encouraged the officers to act as ambassadors of India's interests and its cultural identity. The President's speech is available for review. Release ID: 2157834.
Key Entities Referenced
Indian Foreign Service: A branch of the Government of India responsible for managing India's external relations.
President of India: The head of state of the Republic of India. In this context, Smt Droupadi Murmu.
Smt Droupadi Murmu: The current President of India.
Rashtrapati Bhavan: The official residence of the President of India.
Viksit Bharat by 2047: An objective for India to become a developed nation by the year 2047.
Yoga: A group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India.
Ayurveda: A system of traditional medicine native to the Indian subcontinent.
Bharat: The Hindi name for India, often used to emphasize the country's cultural heritage.
President's Secretariat
OFFICER TRAINEES OF INDIAN FOREIGN
SERVICE CALL ON THE PRESIDENT
OUR DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS SHOULD BE
CLOSELY ALIGNED WITH OUR DOMESTIC
NEEDS AND WITH OUR OBJECTIVE OF
BECOMING VIKSIT BHARAT BY 2047:
PRESIDENT MURMU
Posted On: 19 AUG 2025 1:56PM by PIB Delhi
The Officer Trainees of Indian Foreign Service (2024 Batch) called on the President of India, Smt Droupadi
Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan today (August 19, 2025).
Addressing the officers, the President congratulated them for joining the Indian Foreign Service and said that
as they embark upon their journey, they should carry with them the values of our civilizational wisdom –
peace, pluralism, non-violence, and dialogue. At the same time, they should remain open to ideas, people, and
perspectives from every culture they encounter. She said that the world around them is seeing rapid changes
in terms of geopolitical shifts, digital revolution, climate change, and contested multilateralism. As young
officers, their agility and adaptability will be the key to our success.
The President said that today, India is an essential part of the solution for the world’s main challenges – be it
the issues stemming from disparity between the global north and south, dangers of cross-border terrorism, orthe implications of climate change. India is not only the world’s largest democracy, but also a steadily rising
economic power. Our voice carries weight. She added that as diplomats, IFS officers will be the first face of
India that the world sees – in their words, actions, and values.
The President underlined the increasing importance of cultural diplomacy in today’s times. She said that
connections formed through the heart and soul are always stronger. Be it Yoga, Ayurveda, and millets, or the
musical, artistic, linguistic and spiritual traditions of Bharat, more creative and ambitious efforts will project
and promote this vast heritage abroad.
The President said that our diplomatic efforts should be closely aligned with our domestic needs and with our
objective of becoming Viksit Bharat by 2047. She urged young officers to consider themselves not only as
custodians of India's interests, but as ambassadors of its soul.Please click here to see the President's Speech-
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MJPS/SR
(Release ID: 2157834)