India’s ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ Philosophy Calls For ‘Building Bridges, Not Walls’: President Murmu

 

Skopje : President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday said that India’s ancient philosophy of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” calls for “building bridges, not walls,” when the global landscape is fractured by conflict and economic division. Murmu made the remarks during her address to the Assembly of North Macedonia. She is on a historic two-day visit to the European nation -- the first by an Indian head of state.

 

In her address, Murmu stressed that no nation can prosper in isolation. “India’s ancient civilisational philosophy is rooted in the ancient dictum - Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam - the world is one family. When the global landscape is fractured by conflict and economic division, this philosophy calls for building bridges, not walls,” Murmu said.

She said that democracy is not merely a system of governance, but a shared article of faith that unites India and North Macedonia. Murmu said that the parliaments of the two nations are the guardians of people's freedoms, the architects of their laws, and the mirrors of national conscience.

 

“As I look across this Chamber today, I am reminded that a nation's true pulse beats within its Parliament. Democracy is not merely a system of governance; it is a shared article of faith that unites India and North Macedonia,” the president said. India’s Parliament reflects the aspirations of more than 1.4 billion citizens and gives democratic voice to a nation of extraordinary diversity, Murmu said.

 

“Guided by our Constitution, Parliament embodies the principle that India's diversity is not an obstacle to democracy, but one of its greatest strengths,” she said. India's democratic experience is remarkable not only for its constitutional foundations but also for its extraordinary scale, the president said and cited the successful conduct of general elections.

With an electorate of around one billion citizens, she said India's general elections constitute the largest democratic exercise in human history. “The successful conduct of elections across such vast geographic, linguistic and cultural diversity stands as a testament to the resilience of India's democratic institutions and the trust that our people place in the electoral process,” Murmu said.

The president said that India regards the Republic of North Macedonia not as a distant country but as an important pillar in the architecture of a stable, multipolar, and prosperous global future. “Our relationship was set in motion more than two millennia ago. The historic expeditions of warriors and traders from this region opened vital corridors for trade, philosophy, and art, connecting our early civilisations,” she said.