New Delhi, Nov 10: Amid an evolving geopolitical situation, the Congress will host experts from 70 countries for deliberations on the emergence of a new global order and India’s strategic responses to the developments, besides issues like cooperative federalism and electoral integrity.
Senior Congress leader and head of the party’s Foreign Affairs department Salman Khurshid said the Bharat Summit in Hyderabad on November 13 and 14 will bring together around 1,000 delegates from across the world and the areas of focus include the formation of a new think tank, “Our World”.
The international conference will see the participation of senior Congress leaders including Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, global policymakers, and prominent figures from progressive movements, he said.
Discussions at the Summit will primarily focus on the “political vision” of Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, evolving national and international political landscapes, the emergence of a new global order and India’s strategic responses to these developments, he said.
“The intention is to reflect the vision of Rahul Gandhi for India and the world of tomorrow, and the emergence of a new global order. We will have 12 international sessions and eight important sessions focused on Telangana,” he told reporters.
Khurshid said the Summit coincides with two important occasions – the 137th birth anniversary of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, who “continues to be an inspiration for foreign policy formulation and thinking in our party” and the 80th year of our independence.
He added that besides discussing welfare policies, cooperative federalism, culture and society, youth & sports, and electoral integrity in Telangana and across India, the focus would also be on coming out with a joint statement and the formation of a new think tank, “Our World”.
Khurshid said Rahul Gandhi “will set out his vision for India and the world, and reflect on a substantive alternative foreign policy vision from India, built on principled multilateralism, strategic autonomy, peaceful coexistence and democratic values, and drawing on the legacy of AfroAsian solidarity and the NonAligned Movement”.
The event will also witness the establishment of a Global South–Global North platform and new Global South institutions, where there will be engagement with senior policymakers and party leaders from over 50 nations.
Telangana IT Minister Sridhar Babu said that with hundreds of delegates from different countries gathering in Hyderabad, their deliberations will give a great boost to Telangana’s governance and its people.
“The Summit will address geopolitical matters, the new world order, societal challenges, climate change, the role of the media, international journalism and information integrity.
“We will also host eight sessions on Telangana Rising. These sessions will cover topics such as Future City and urbanisation, economic justice, social justice, welfare policies, cooperative federalism, culture and society, youth & sports, and electoral integrity in Telangana and across India,” Babu told reporters at a press conference.
He said after the Bharat Summit, the state will also host the Invest Telangana Global Summit 2026, from December 7 to 9. Partners participating in the Bharat Summit will deliberate on potential investments and be invited to the Invest Telangana Global Summit, he noted.
Party leader Gurdeep Sappal said the Summit is being organised at a time when divisive politics is prevalent not just in India but across the world, and that it aims to bring politics back to the people.
He said that “with IT companies now driving politics, it has to return to people’s issues driven by politicians”.
“The aim is to bring people out of the current era of propaganda and bring people’s issues and politics back in focus,” he said, adding that experts would dwell on progressive politics instead.
Telangana PCC President Mahesh Goud said this will be one of the biggest events to be held in Telangana as international progressive thinkers from nearly 70 countries will participate.
The Summit will convene the world’s foremost policymakers, thinkers, business leaders, activists, and changemakers who will engage in a series of highlevel panel discussions, closeddoor roundtables and bilateral engagements, the Congress said.
It aims to take the pulse of a shifting world as it is the first major international gathering of progressive leaders after landmark progressive electoral victories in Brazil, Hungary and Serbia, and immediately after the US midterm elections, the party said. (PTI)
