President of India Droupadi Murmu addressed the IB Centenary Endowment Lecture in New Delhi on December 23, 2025, focusing on the theme “People-Centric National Security: Community Participation in Building Viksit Bharat.”
To begin, the President highlighted that security drives economic investment and growth. Moreover, she emphasised that placing citizen welfare and public participation at the heart of national security strategy empowers communities to act as effective sources of intelligence and protection.
Next, President Murmu praised the Intelligence Bureau’s role since Independence in safeguarding unity and integrity. She urged institutions to spread awareness that national security is the responsibility of every citizen, noting that alert communities can provide formidable support to government agencies.
Furthermore, she stressed that community participation strengthens national security, citing examples of citizens helping professional forces avert crises. She declared that “Jan Bhagidari” must remain the cornerstone of people-centric security.
In addition, the President called on civil police and internal security agencies to serve with dedication, building trust that is essential for a people-centric strategy. She acknowledged India’s multi-dimensional security challenges, including border tensions, terrorism, insurgency, radicalisation, and the growing threat of cybercrime.
She then underlined that insecurity anywhere has economic consequences beyond the affected region, stating, “Building Surakshit Bharat is necessary for building Samriddh Bharat.”
Moving forward, she noted that left-wing extremism is close to eradication, crediting intensive action and socio-economic inclusion in tribal and remote areas. She also warned of misinformation on social media and urged the creation of communities of active users who promote fact-based narratives.
Finally, addressing digital threats, she called for technologically competent communities to counter fraud and cybercrime, stressing vigilance at the household and institutional levels. Concluding her lecture, President Murmu expressed confidence that public participation will help India build a vigilant, peaceful, secure, and prosperous nation.
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