In the backdrop of the United States imposing a 50% tariff on Indian goods effective on Wednesday, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat said India’s national policy should ensure that international trade is done on a “voluntary basis and not under any pressure”.
Speaking at Vigyan Bhawan on second day of a three-day lecture series titled ‘100 Years of the Sangh’s Journey – New Horizons’, Bhagwat laid out the Sangh’s vision on self-reliance, cultural values, governance, and India’s role in shaping a global “dharmic” order as RSS approaches its centenary. Wednesday’s lecture saw attendance of diplomats from over 55 nations. Over 30 international organisations also participated.
His remarks came hours after the new US tariffs kicked in, a move seen as escalating trade tensions between the two countries. “Why should we import goods that we can produce ourselves? We will import only life essentials that are not manufactured in our country,” Bhagwat said. “In our national policy, international trade should be voluntary and not under pressure. The world runs on mutual self-reliance just as a family thrives on interdependence. There will always be give and take, but we should be self-reliant and practise ‘swadeshi’,” he added.
Urging Indians to prefer domestic products and local consumption, Bhagwat said: “What can be made at home should not be bought from outside. In summer, you can make shikanji (lemon water) at home, so why buy Coca Cola and Sprite?”
Self-reliance, swadeshi
Explaining the Sangh’s emphasis on ‘swadeshi’, Bhagwat clarified that self-reliance does not mean isolationism. “When we talk about swadeshi, people think we want to sever ties with foreign countries. It isn’t so. Swadeshi means we prioritise what we can make ourselves. It’s okay to have pizza once in a while, but we don’t need to eat out every Sunday.”
Urging people to support local economies by buying goods produced within their villages, states, and regions, he said: “If your state manufactures cars, buy them from your state. When we ignore what’s made locally and get goods from outside, our villages suffer.”
Calling on people to embrace “bhasha, bhusha, bhojan, bhawan aur bhajan” (speaking in their mother tongue, wearing traditional attire, eating local cuisine, living in traditional homes, and maintaining prayer practices), he said: “If your home doesn’t have a prayer room, you are not practising Hinduism. Whatever is convenient, we should wear, but we must know how to wear a dhoti.”
Constitutional values
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Stressing the importance of constitutional values, Bhagwat urged people not to take the law into their own hands even when provoked. “In every situation, we must follow the rule of law and the Constitution. If someone mocks, disrespects, or abuses your faith, go to the police… Do not resort to violence,” he said.
Warning against radicalism, wokeism
Touching on global socio-political trends, he warned against rising radicalism, social fragmentation, and “wokeism”. “In the present times, radicalism, disputes, and unrest are on the rise. We can’t say the Third World War is not already underway,” he said. “People who believe there should be no values in life are promoting this radicalism. We are cancelling anyone who disagrees with us. New words like wokeism have come up — it’s a big crisis before the world. Elders across the globe are worried because nothing connects us anymore,” he added.
Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, he said consumerism and “ruthless materialism” were giving rise to “seven social sins” — “Work without Wealth, Pleasure without Conscience, Knowledge without character, commerce without morality, science without humanity, religion without sacrifice, and politics without principle.”
Reconnecting with neighbours
Laying out a vision for India’s role in the region, Bhagwat said the country must start by reconnecting with its neighbours. “Most of India’s neighbours were once part of India — it’s the same people, geography, jungles, and rivers. Just lines have been drawn on maps,” he said. “The first duty is to connect with those who are our own. On the basis of our inherited values, India must contribute to their progress. India is the biggest country in the subcontinent, and stability, peace, and prosperity here will benefit the entire region,” Bhagwat said.
Dharm, not religion
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He devoted a significant part of his lecture to the concept of ‘dharm’, distinguishing it from religion. “Dharm is not about ways of prayer or eating habits. It is above religion — it is religion on top of religion. Dharm accepts diversity and teaches balance between individualism, society, and nature,” he said. “What we need is to make our lives dharmic and inspire the world. Today the world is yearning for relationships, and India, as a dharmic country, is at the forefront of valuing relations. Swami Vivekananda used to say India has to give dharm to the world. For that, we must prepare the country,” he said.
RSS as global example
Bhagwat concluded by saying RSS must become a model for the world. “We have to build an RSS that sets an example globally. India must formulate governance and economic policies rooted in its own vision — where there is no mass production but production by the masses,” he said. Once formulated, Bhagwat said, the ideas should be shared with the world, beginning with India’s immediate neighbourhood. “What comes out of rebuilding relations will benefit not just India, but the world,” he said.
