Rahul Gandhi to present alternative foreign policy vision at Bharat Summit

Hyderabad: The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, will present his vision for India and the world and an alternative foreign policy vision at the second Bharat Summit to be held here from November 12 to 14.

The Congress leader will speak at the valedictory session on November 14, where he will pose an inspiring alternative view of India’s foreign policy — anchored in principled multilateralism, strategic autonomy, peaceful coexistence and democratic values.

According to the agenda paper, Rahul Gandhi’s vision is of an India that speaks with moral clarity and strategic confidence, that partners rather than lectures, and that carries the aspirations of the Global South to every table where the world’s future is decided.

Being organised by the Telangana government, Bharat Summit is billed as the first major international gathering of progressive leaders after landmark electoral outcomes in Brazil, Hungary and Serbia, and comes immediately after the US midterm elections.

A flagship Global South gathering, the summit honours the legacy of Afro-Asian solidarity and the Non-Aligned Movement — a tradition India helped shape, and one the world needs again, reads the paper.

Over 1,000 delegates from 70 countries, including policymakers, party leaders, thinkers and changemakers, will participate in the three-day event.

"Even in opposition, the Indian National Congress has brought together key voices from think tanks, progressive parties, multilateral institutions and governments across 70 countries to one table in Hyderabad — a reflection of its institutional depth, its long-standing global partnerships, and a party preparing, with policy rigour, for 2029 and beyond," the agenda paper says.

Twelve international sessions and eight Telangana Rising sessions will discuss the reform of multilateral institutions, South–South cooperation, peace in a new world order, a new economic deal for the world, climate justice, AI and the future of media, youth, gender justice and democratic renewal — culminating in a Global South–Global North platform and the launch of the Our World Institute at the valedictory session.

The Summit is being organised with the support of Indian Overseas Congress Chairperson Sam Pitroda and the Congress Foreign Affairs Department.

Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka told a press conference on Wednesday that safeguarding democracy, non-violence, and non-alignment are the primary agenda items for the summit.

He believes that just as Davos is recognised globally as a premier platform for discussions on economic and investment policies, Hyderabad, through the Bharat Summit, will emerge as an international hub that provides global direction on political, social, and economic policies.

He stated that in the midst of rising global violence, the politics of hatred, and divisive tendencies, the summit is being organised to uphold and protect democratic values.

He noted that the summit holds special significance, as it coincides with the lead-up to the 80th Independence Day celebrations and the birth anniversary of India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

IT and Industries Minister Duddilla Sridhar Babu and former Union Minister Salman Khurshid also addressed the press conference.

They emphasised that the philosophy of non-violence (ahimsa) taught by Mahatma Gandhi, along with the Non-Aligned foreign policy and the mixed economic model championed by Pandit Nehru, are highly relevant today -- not just for India, but for the entire world.

They contended that Nehru’s vision was rooted in the belief that developing nations should not lose their independent identity or existence while navigating the influence of major global powers. His vision—that India should not only grow through its own strength but also provide leadership to the progressive and developing nations of the world—laid a robust foundation for the country.

The Congress leaders expressed concern that in many countries across the world, opposition parties are being treated as enemies, with deliberate attempts being made to politically eliminate them and their leadership.

The summit will emphasise the need to protect the right to vote of every citizen. The leaders said the Congress strongly opposes any attempts to disenfranchise eligible citizens under the guise of the 'SIR' process. The primary responsibility of the Election Commission and the government should be to ensure that every eligible citizen has the right to vote, they said.

Telangana Congress chief Mahesh Kumar Goud, AICC Administration In-charge Gurdeep Singh Sappal, MP Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy, and Samruddha Bharat Foundation Director Pushparaj Deshpande were also present at the press conference.

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