Gandhian Values Inspire Congress’s Global Vision, Says Salman Khurshid

In a significant statement, Khurshid said, “The values that Mahatma Gandhi championed, namely Sneh (love), Ahimsa (non-violence), Maitreya (fraternity), Karuna (compassion), Satya (truth) and Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family) were successfully deployed by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to forge a middle path in global affairs through the Non-Aligned Movement. That is precisely what the Congress Party and our leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge are trying to do.”

Khurshid’s remarks come at a time when the Congress Party is actively working to redefine its ideological stance on both domestic and international fronts. By invoking Nehru’s leadership in the Non-Aligned Movement — a diplomatic initiative that sought to maintain India's independence during the Cold War — Khurshid emphasized the continuity of Gandhian ethics in shaping modern India’s role on the global stage.

The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), founded in 1961, was based on principles that rejected alignment with either of the two major power blocs of the time, instead promoting peace, cooperation, and sovereignty among developing nations. Nehru’s leadership in NAM, Khurshid argued, was not just political strategy but a moral commitment to Gandhian values in a complex world.

By drawing parallels with today’s Congress leadership, particularly Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, Khurshid positioned the party as a torchbearer of moral diplomacy in an increasingly polarized global environment. He suggested that Congress’s current efforts — from promoting social justice at home to advocating for peaceful engagement abroad — are modern manifestations of a deeply rooted ethical vision.

Khurshid was speaking in context of the Bharat Summit, an international conference organised by Telangana Government and Samruddha Bharat Foundation that marshalled over 1500 delegates including ministers, legislators and think tanks from 100 centrist parties globally.

Political observers view Khurshid’s statement as an attempt to reclaim the legacy of Gandhi and Nehru, at a time when debates around nationalism, identity, and India’s international posture are intensifying. Gearing for the 2029 general elections, Congress appears to be leaning into its historical legacy to lead progressives globally to pose a clear ideological contrast to the ruling dispensation.

Whether this vision will resonate with a new generation of voters remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: in the battle for India's soul and standing in the world, history — and the moral compass of its founding leaders — remains a potent touchstone.