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My vision for South Asia is same as my vision for India – Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas: PM

Published By : Admin | February 5, 2016 | 17:51 IST
Feel privileged and honoured to be among sportspersons from our neighbourhood and brothers and sisters from SAARC countries: PM Modi
Guwahati is now a modern and vibrant city and a hub of all economic activities in the North-Eastern Region of India
This sports meet is perfect blend of 3- Teamwork, togetherness and talent: PM
South Asian Games celebrates togetherness of all South Asian Nations: PM Modi
All round development of personality is incomplete without sports. Sports bring with it the most vital sportsman spirit: PM
My vision for South Asia is same as my vision for India – Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas: PM
All South Asian countries are partners in our journey towards development: PM

I feel privileged and honoured to be among sportspersons from our neighbourhood and brothers and sisters from SAARC countries. I welcome all of you to India, a country known for its culture of अतिथि देवो भव: and to this beautiful city of Guwahati known for its hospitality and love for sports.

What moves me today, is your electrifying presence, full of excitement and enthusiasm for this important international sports event on the banks of the mighty Brahmaputra.

Guwahati has come a long way since the days of Pragjyotishpur in Ancient India. It is now a modern and vibrant city and a hub of all economic activities in the North-Eastern Region of India.

Young people in the North-East and especially here in Assam do not miss any opportunity to witness a good football match. This fame has spread so far and wide that the FIFA World Cup Under-17 which will be hosted first time in India in 2017 has chosen Guwahati as a prime venue for the event.

This sports meet, for me signifies a perfect blend of 3 Ts - Talent, Teamwork and Togetherness. Among us is the best and most youthful talent from across South Asia. You are proud members of your team - it can be your team of the sport you play and a larger team of the nation you are representing. And, at the same time this meet also celebrates togetherness of all South Asian nations. Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka – no matter which country we are from, we all call South Asia our home.

Sports has to be an essential part of an individual’s life. A good game is both healthy and refreshing. All round development of the personality is incomplete without sports. Most importantly, sports brings with it the most vital sportsman spirit. Without sports, there cannot be any sportsman spirit. This sportsman spirit will not only help you on the field but also in other aspects of your life. You will cherish whatever you learn on the sports field for your entire life. I always say - Jo Khele, woh Khile. The person who plays, shines.

The mascot of these games ‘TIKHOR‘represents a baby rhino who is sharp and intelligent. It captures the spirit of sports persons and young sport lovers.

The theme song of the games is "Ei prithivi ekhan krirangan, krira hol shantir prangan" sung by legendary late Dr. Bhupen Hazarika.

A singer whose captivating voice left people spellbound; his song beautifully captures the spirit of South Asian Games, the spirit of peace, friendship and prosperity.

I have been told by Shri Sarbananda Sonowalji that the Organizing Committee for the Games has brought waters from each of the eight SAARC countries and these waters will be merged to signify shared aspirations and cooperative spirit amongst the SAARC nations.

Dr. Bhupen Hazarika’s song “We are in the same boat brother” which you are going to hear soon is all about SAARC nations. We should join hands together as a family. Let us kindle this spirit of friendship through sports in South Asian Games.

My vision for South Asia is the same as my vision for India – Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas. All South Asian countries are partners in our journey towards development.

We the people living in SAARC countries comprise 21 per cent of the world’s population and contribute about 9 per cent to its economy.

As we gather today to commence the 12th South Asian Games, for 23 sporting events covering both men and women, we bring sports-persons from all SAARC countries to India’s North-East and to this great city in a spirit of friendship, trust and understanding.

I am sure that as the Games proceed, this feeling of friendship trust and understanding will convert itself not only into sporting opportunities but also into business and tourism opportunities as well.

Let these Games become a spring board for bringing peace and prosperity in the region through business, interaction and sporting activities. Let this be an opportunity for SAARC people to realize their potential.

Sportsmanship is a philosophy of life harmonizing in a balanced whole the qualities of endurance, will and mind. The challenge for performance, the joy of effort, the cheer of success, the spirit of friendship and fairplay in a sports arena speak volumes about how culture, education, ethics, dignity and society get intertwined with each other during such sports events.

On the sports field, we can forget what separates us, and we can truly connect with each other in the spirit of sportsmanship and adventure.

We can celebrate our diversity, and at the same time, be united under common rules for our sports, and the shared values of honesty and fair play.

Let us play for peace: let us play for prosperity. Let us play with full vigour and enthusiasm so that we remember these Games even after they are over.

The friendships you would form over these 12 days, and the memories you take back will last you a lifetime.

I am confident that you will cherish these bonds, and become Ambassadors for peace and friendship between our nations.

While people play for medals and provide tough competition to each other, I urge the sports-persons and visitors here to take time from their busy schedules to visit the places of tourism attraction and wonderful wildlife sanctuaries nearby.

Once again I welcome our friends from SAARC countries. Let the spirit of ‘Gurukul’ prevail for two weeks in Guwahati as sportspersons share with each other their best and take back great feeling of warmth and remarkable experience.

Let the competition be in true sports man spirit. May the best win.

I declare the 12th South Asian Games open.

Thank you.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the 5th National Conference of Chief Secretaries in Delhi, earlier today. The three-day Conference was held in Pusa, Delhi from 26 to 28 December, 2025.

Prime Minister observed that this conference marks another decisive step in strengthening the spirit of cooperative federalism and deepening Centre-State partnership to achieve the vision of Viksit Bharat.

Prime Minister emphasised that Human Capital comprising knowledge, skills, health and capabilities is the fundamental driver of economic growth and social progress and must be developed through a coordinated Whole-of-Government approach.

The Conference included discussions around the overarching theme of ‘Human Capital for Viksit Bharat’. Highlighting India's demographic advantage, the Prime Minister stated that nearly 70 percent of the population is in the working-age group, creating a unique historical opportunity which, when combined with economic progress, can significantly accelerate India's journey towards Viksit Bharat.

Prime Minister said that India has boarded the “Reform Express”, driven primarily by the strength of its young population, and empowering this demographic remains the government’s key priority. Prime Minister noted that the Conference is being held at a time when the country is witnessing next-generation reforms and moving steadily towards becoming a major global economic power.

He further observed that Viksit Bharat is synonymous with quality and excellence and urged all stakeholders to move beyond average outcomes. Emphasising quality in governance, service delivery and manufacturing, the Prime Minister stated that the label "Made in India' must become a symbol of excellence and global competitiveness.

Prime Minister emphasised the need to strengthen Aatmanirbharta, stating that India must pursue self-reliance with zero defect in products and minimal environmental impact, making the label 'Made in India' synonymous with quality and strengthen our commitment to 'Zero Effect, Zero Defect.’ He urged the Centre and States to jointly identify 100 products for domestic manufacturing to reduce import dependence and strengthen economic resilience in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat.

Prime Minister emphasised the need to map skill demand at the State and global levels to better design skill development strategies. In higher education too, he suggested that there is a need for academia and industry to work together to create high quality talent.

For livelihoods of youth, Prime Minister observed that tourism can play a huge role. He highlighted that India has a rich heritage and history with a potential to be among the top global tourist destinations. He urged the States to prepare a roadmap for creating at least one global level tourist destination and nourishing an entire tourist ecosystem.

PM Modi said that it is important to align the Indian national sports calendar with the global sports calendar. India is working to host the 2036 Olympics. India needs to prepare infrastructure and sports ecosystem at par with global standards. He observed that young kids should be identified, nurtured and trained to compete at that time. He urged the States that the next 10 years must be invested in them, only then will India get desired results in such sports events. Organising and promoting sports events and tournaments at local and district level and keeping data of players will create a vibrant sports environment.

PM Modi said that soon India would be launching the National Manufacturing Mission (NMM). Every State must give this top priority and create infrastructure to attract global companies. He further said that it included Ease of Doing Business, especially with respect to land, utilities and social infrastructure. He also called upon states to encourage manufacturing, boost ‘Ease of Doing Business’ and strengthen the services sector. In the services sector, PM Modi said that there should be greater emphasis on other areas like Healthcare, education, transport, tourism, professional services, AI, etc. to make India a Global Services Giant.

Prime Minister also emphasized that as India aspires to be the food basket of the world, we need to shift to high value agriculture, dairy, fisheries, with a focus on exports. He pointed out that the PM Dhan Dhanya Scheme has identified 100 districts with lower productivity. Similarly, in learning outcomes States must identify the lowest 100 districts and must work on addressing the issues around the low indicators.

PM also urged the States to use Gyan Bharatam Mission for digitization of manuscripts. He said that States may start a Abhiyan to digitize such manuscripts available in States. Once these manuscripts are digitized, Al can be used for synthesizing the wisdom and knowledge available.

Prime Minister noted that the Conference reflects India’s tradition of collective thinking and constructive policy dialogue, and that the Chief Secretaries Conference, institutionalised by the Government of India, has become an effective platform for collective deliberation.

Prime Minister emphasised that States should work in tandem with the discussions and decisions emerging from both the Chief Secretaries and the DGPs Conferences to strengthen governance and implementation.

Prime Minister suggested that similar conferences could be replicated at the departmental level to promote a national perspective among officers and improve governance outcomes in pursuit of Viksit Bharat.

Prime Minister also said that all States and UTs must prepare capacity building plan along with the Capacity Building Commission. He said that use of Al in governance and awareness on cyber security is need of the hour. States and Centre have to put emphasis on cyber security for the security of every citizen.

Prime Minister said that the technology can provide secure and stable solutions through our entire life cycle. There is a need to utilise technology to bring about quality in governance.

In the conclusion, Prime Minister said that every State must create 10-year actionable plans based on the discussions of this Conference with 1, 2, 5 and 10 year target timelines wherein technology can be utilised for regular monitoring.

The three-day Conference emphasised on special themes which included Early Childhood Education; Schooling; Skilling; Higher Education; and Sports and Extracurricular Activities recognising their role in building a resilient, inclusive and future-ready workforce.

Discussion during the Conference

The discussions during the Conference reflected the spirit of Team India, where the Centre and States came together with a shared commitment to transform ideas into action. The deliberations emphasised the importance of ensuring time-bound implementation of agreed outcomes so that the vision of Viksit Bharat translates into tangible improvements in citizens’ lives. The sessions provided a comprehensive assessment of the current situation, key challenges and possible solutions across priority areas related to human capital development.

The Conference also facilitated focused deliberations over meals on Heritage & Manuscript Preservation and Digitisation; and Ayush for All with emphasis on integrating knowledge in primary healthcare delivery.

The deliberations also emphasised the importance of effective delivery, citizen-centric governance and outcome-oriented implementation to ensure that development initiatives translate into measurable on-ground impact. The discussions highlighted the need to strengthen institutional capacity, improve inter-departmental coordination and adopt data-driven monitoring frameworks to enhance service delivery. Focus was placed on simplifying processes, leveraging technology and ensuring last-mile reach so that benefits of development reach every citizen in a timely, transparent and inclusive manner, in alignment with the vision of Viksit Bharat.

The Conference featured a series of special sessions that enabled focused deliberations on cross-cutting and emerging priorities. These sessions examined policy pathways and best practices on Deregulation in States, Technology in Governance: Opportunities, Risks & Mitigation; AgriStack for Smart Supply Chain & Market Linkages; One State, One World Class Tourist Destination; Aatmanirbhar Bharat & Swadeshi; and Plans for a post-Left Wing Extremism future. The discussions highlighted the importance of cooperative federalism, replication of successful State-level initiatives and time-bound implementation to translate deliberations into measurable outcomes.

The Conference was attended by Chief Secretaries, senior officials of all States/Union Territories, domain experts and senior officers in the centre.