Indian way of conflict avoidance is not by brute force, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that the Indian way of "conflict avoidance is not by brute force but the power of dialogue."

"In a world seeking to break free from mindless hate, violence, conflict and terrorism, the Indian way of life offers rays of hope. The Indian way of conflict avoidance is not by brute force but the power of dialogue," Prime Minister Modi said during the international conclave on 'Globalising Indian Thought' at IIM Kozhikode via video-conferencing.

Talking about peace and harmony, the Prime Minister said, "Let me talk about what draws the world to India. First and foremost, what comes to the mind is the values of peace, unity and brotherhood. So many states, so many languages, so many dialects, so many customs and traditions, so many food habits, so many ways of dressing... Yet for centuries we have live in peace. For centuries we have welcomed the world to our land. Our civilisation has prospered when many could not. Why? Because one finds peace and harmony here."

Prime Minister Modi said that in the 20th century, Mahatma Gandhi championed these ideals and this contributed to India's freedom.

"Several Indian soldiers lost their lives in both World Wars. They fought bravely. Even though India had no stake in these wars, we never wanted anyone's land or resources, but our soldiers fought for peace," he stated. Talking about Swami Vivekananda, Modi stated that who can forget his contribution in globalising Indian thought.

"Years ago on September 11, 1893, Swami Vivekananda gave a glimpse of India's ethos during his iconic speech in Chicago. As we all know, the moment he began his speech with, 'Sisters and Brothers of America', there were loud claps. The magic was not in the words, but what was on display was India's conviction and commitment to universal brotherhood," he said.

"Indian thought is vibrant and diverse. It is constant and evolving... Broadly, there are certain ideals that have remained central to Indian values. They are- compassion, harmony, justice, service and openness," the Prime Minister added.