Dynasty no longer destiny; talent is destiny: Swaraj

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today said the NDA government was pursuing "youthful" foreign policy and considers Indian culture as a powerful asset in promoting the country's interests abroad.
In an address at the International Youth Summit, she said development was the over-arching imperative and focus driving the government's multifarious external engagements.
Noting that youthful energies need to be leveraged in the right direction, she told the youths that there was plenty to choose from under the new government.
"Dynasty is no longer destiny; talent is destiny. You can make your presence felt with your innovation and initiatives," an official release quoted her as saying.

The External Affairs Minister said government considers Indian culture as a powerful asset in promoting India's interests abroad and that it does not "flinch" in emphasising on India's value systems, its philosophy and spirituality for "hope and renewal".
She said India has forged a "robust omnidirectional 360 degree" foreign policy and the world was now looking at India with renewed respect and enthusiasm.

"The world is looking at India with renewed respect and enthusiasm, and India is looking to proactively engage all corners of the world with added vigour," she said.
Noting that aim of the India's external engagements was to ensure national resurgence and development, she said India was on the cusp of momentous changes and was re-scripting its own destiny.

"Our economy is reviving. India is being hailed by the World Bank and the IMF as the fastest growing large economy in the world. At the same time, India is also vigorously engaged in the process of rewriting the rules of global engagement," she said.
Swaraj observed that India's myriad civilizational strengths and its growing global profile has made it indispensable to how a host of the world's cross-cutting challenges ranging from terrorism and piracy to pandemics and climate change are tackled and resolved.
"In India, the idea of a global village is ingrained in our collective consciousness and is embedded in our DNA. The Vedic ethos of vasudhaiva kutumbakam has animated our way of life down the ages," she said.

Talking about the government's 'Neighbours First' policy, she said promoting peace and stability in the immediate neighbourhood is underpinned by the premise that the destinies of over 1.5 billion people in South Asia are deeply and interlinked.
"We are pursuing a people-centric, interactive and youthful foreign policy which is open to new ideas, new initiatives and new inspirations," she said.