GUWAHATI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, October 13, described India as the “Mother of Democracy” and said digital technology could play a key role in strengthening democratic participation by expanding access to information, knowledge and opportunities.
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Addressing the eighth edition of the Bloomberg New Economy Forum, being held in India for the first time, Modi highlighted the country's linguistic diversity, media landscape and growing digital presence as features of its democratic system.
“As all of you know, India is the Mother of Democracy,” Modi said, pointing to the country's more than 100 languages, nearly 80,000 registered newspapers and publications, and over 1,000 satellite television channels.
He also cited the reach of social media in India, saying the country had more than 500 million YouTube users and over 500 million Instagram users. He said people openly debate issues and discuss different viewpoints, adding that digital power had played a major role in enabling such exchanges.
Focusing on the relationship between technology and democracy, Modi said the growing influence of technology, data, knowledge and innovation had changed the sources of power in the 21st century. He argued that the key question was how these resources were used and whether their benefits reached a wider section of society.
“Will technology advance only a few people? Or will it create new opportunities for millions? Will knowledge remain the strength of only a select few? Or will it enhance everyone’s capabilities?” he said.
The Prime Minister called for a shift from using power to control or compete towards using it to enable people, encourage cooperation and help others succeed. He described this approach as “Power to Empower”.
“Beyond Power to Control lies Power to Enable. Beyond Power to Compete lies Power to Collaborate. Beyond Power to Succeed lies Power to Help Others Succeed,” Modi said.
He also welcomed the decision to host the Bloomberg New Economy Forum in India, telling Bloomberg founder Michael Bloomberg that he had chosen “the right place at the right time”.
The eighth edition of the forum has brought together more than 500 public- and private-sector leaders from around the world. Held under the theme “A World in Play: Defining the New Levers of Power”, the event focuses on shifts in the global geopolitical landscape, emerging risks and opportunities, and pathways towards future prosperity.
