Probationers of the Indian Ordnance Factories Service and the Indian Trade Service call on the President Kovind

Addressing both groups of probationers jointly, the President said that their selection was a personal achievement for them, and their career ahead was full of possibilities for public service. In their own ways, they would serve the country and its 1.3 billion people, and play a crucial role in services that helped make India strong and secure.

The President said that our defence related challenges are immense, and we have to be prepared to meet any situation, at any time.

The Indian Ordnance Factories Service contributes directly to our nation’s security. Ordnance Factories Service officers should feel proud that they will be managing our Ordnance Factories, which provide our soldiers weapons, ammunition and equipment that they need to protect our country, he said.

As managers of the Ordnance Factories, these officers would in a sense be responsible for India’s defence preparedness.

The President urged them to develop a spirit of innovation so that they could take forward the much-needed modernisation of Ordnance Factories.

The President said that the strength of a nation is assessed not only by the might of its defence forces but also by the strength of its economy. Economies today operate in an increasingly integrated world where nations compete for a share of global markets and trade.

While we have done quite well in promoting trade in the past two decades, there is a lot more to be achieved. In the mid-18th century India had almost a 25 per cent share of global industrial output. It held a prominent share in global trade. Today, our country’s share in global trade is around two per cent, he said.

It is Indian Trade Service officers, the President said, who will play an important role in ensuring that our country regains its strong position in the global trading order. As officers their role should no longer be that of trade regulators alone, but they should emerge as trade facilitators.

With their knowledge of economics and trade-related operations, they can improve our trade negotiations, suggest trade-friendly policies and initiate procedural simplifications that can facilitate trade, he said.

The President advised the probationers to live a life of optimism and make positive changes happen both in their work domains as well as in society at large. He also advised the probationers to stay away from any temptations, and serve the country with honesty, integrity and dedication.