On March 18, 2025, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard addressed the Raisina Dialogue. Her remarks as prepared for delivery are below.

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard

Remarks As Prepared for Delivery

Raisina Dialogue

New Delhi, India

March 18, 2025

Aloha, Namaste, Jai Sri Krishna. Thank you so much for the kind introduction, Samir, and for the warm welcome. It is great to be back here in India, a nation whose rich history and vibrant democracy serve as the foundation for the special bond that exists between our two countries.

I greet you with "aloha" and "namaste" because these are two very powerful words with a deep spiritual meaning that have been at the heart and core of my life, and I hope will inspire the tone of the conversations here at Raisina.

When we greet each other with "aloha" and "namaste," we are saying I come to you with respect, recognizing the eternal spirit that exists within each of our hearts; that we are all children of God, connected to one another at a spiritual level, regardless of our race, religion, ethnicity, politics, where we come from, or our status in society. By beginning our exchange in this way, we can be inspired to have a more meaningful connection and dialogue, with a reminder, what we share in common is far more powerful than that which sets us apart.

It is so great to be back here in India. I want to thank Prime Minister Modi for the invitation to be here, to meet with new friends and old friends from across the region and around the world. I’ve spent the last few days here engaging with our Indian counterparts, working to execute the joint vision and statement that President Trump and Prime Minister Modi outlined in Washington last month. The partnership between the U.S. and India has been strong for decades, and under the leadership and true great friends, President Trump and Prime Minister Modi, rooted in our shared values of peace, freedom, security and prosperity, the partnership and friendship between our nations will grow and strengthen.

These gatherings are most important in that they give us the opportunity to come together and engage directly around timely and pressing issues.

The theme of this conference, “People, Peace, Planet,” highlights fundamental aspirations that unite us. It is the foundation upon which prosperity, security, and freedom rest. If we are not at peace, we cannot be prosperous, secure, or free.

And, today, our actions—our commitments to these principles, to one another, our partnerships, and our shared vision for the future—provide us with the opportunity to build meaningful relationships and work together toward the interests of the people, to protect our planet, and to further the cause of peace.

I was born and raised in the Pacific, and have spent time throughout my life traveling to and working in many different countries across the Indo-Pacific region. I’m very familiar with the beautiful cultures, kindness, and hospitality I’ve experienced everywhere I’ve gone, the rich history within each country, and the nuance and complexities in the relationships between Indo-Pacific nations.

It is a vast and critical region that is not just a geographic space—it is the geopolitical center of gravity in the 21st century. Ensuring peace and stability here is essential to our collective security, economic prosperity, and our ability to work together to tackle the great challenges of our time. And we must tackle them together. Our ability to do so, as nations and as people, are critical toward achieving this goal.

We live in a time where war and conflict is waging on many fronts. The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, founded in 1945 by Albert Einstein and Robert Oppenheimer, has declared the Doomsday Clock to be 89 seconds to midnight—closer to the brink of nuclear catastrophe than ever before.

Your focus on peace, people, and planet is timely. Now is the time for leaders to stand up for these interests that affect us all. Unfortunately, what we have experienced time and again is that simply calling for peace is cause for smears and attacks. One of the pillars of President Trump’s campaign for the presidency was centered around his commitment to peace and bringing about an end to the Russia-Ukraine war—to stop the killing, and to prevent the risk of World War III and nuclear war. For this, he was attacked relentlessly not only by political opponents and legacy media in our own country, but also by leaders abroad. Despite these attacks and smear campaigns, the American people voted overwhelmingly for him to return to the White House, delivering a clear mandate for peace, which he is carrying out as we gather here today.

These goals cannot be achieved by any one person alone. Our ability to make progress toward a peaceful, secure, free, and prosperous society begins with us.

I want share an excerpt from a powerful speech that President John F. Kennedy delivered at American University in 1963 on this topic:

He said that: 'First, we must examine our attitude toward peace itself. Too many of us think it is impossible. Too many think it is unreal. But that is a dangerous, defeatist belief. It leads to the conclusion that war is inevitable, that mankind is doomed, that we are gripped by forces we cannot control. We need not accept that view. Our problems are manmade. Therefore, they can be solved by man.

Man’s reason and spirit have often solved the seemingly unsolvable, and we believe they can do it again.'

President Kennedy said, 'I am not referring to the absolute, infinite concept of peace and goodwill of which some fantasies and fanatics dream. ….

Let us focus instead on a more practical, more attainable peace …. Based on a series of concrete actions and effective agreements which are in the interest of all concerned. There is no single, simple key to this peace, no grand or magic formula to be adopted by one or two powers. Genuine peace must be the product of many nations, the sum of many acts. It must be dynamic, not static, changing to meet the challenge of each new generation.

With such a peace, there will still be quarrels and conflicting interests, as there are within families and nations. World peace, like community peace, does not require that each man love his neighbor, it requires only that they live together in mutual tolerance, submitting their disputes to a just and peaceful settlement.

So let us persevere. Peace need not be impracticable, and war need not be inevitable. By defining our goal more clearly, by making it seem more manageable and less remote, we can help all people to see it, to draw hope from it, and to move irresistibly toward it.'

These powerful words were as powerful, true, and relevant then, in 1963, as they are today.

President Trump remains unwavering in his commitment to achieving peace through a strategy rooted in realism and pragmatism. Securing peace through strength requires strong leadership with a clear-eyed and realistic understanding of global challenges and opportunities, a commitment to fostering cultural and economic ties that reduce the likelihood of an escalation to conflict, and a dedication to reinforcing mutual interests.

It requires leaders have the courage to engage directly with friends and adversaries alike, to increase understanding, resolve differences, and work to prevent an escalation to conflict.

It requires leaders who are not afraid to speak an inconvenient or unpopular truth, and who ask the tough questions, challenge the established view or “the way things have always been done”—to spark what may be hard conversations about the realities we face, and the best way forward to advance our mutual cause of peace, freedom, security, and prosperity.

Just as President Trump is committed to America First – putting the safety, security, and freedom of the American people at the forefront of his policies and decisions—Prime Minister Modi is committed to India First, and Prime Minister Luxon is committed to New Zealand First. This is the expectation of any leaders' commitment to their people: to serve them and put their interests at the forefront of their decisions.

America First should not be misunderstood to mean America Alone. The relationships we build together are critical to advance our mutual interests. It’s why gatherings like Raisina are so important—bringing people together from around the world and providing a platform where heads of state, ministers, directors, leaders in business, non-profits, and strategic think tanks, can come together, in the spirit of "aloha," for robust dialogue and debate to increase our understanding of one another.

Our shared values will continue to shape the future of our partnerships. While we represent sovereign nations with unique perspectives, by working together—honestly, transparently, and strategically—we can ensure a more peaceful, free, secure and prosperous future for our people and the world.

Thank you.

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