Washington, April 24: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale made a compelling case for India's civilisational identity on the global stage, telling an elite Washington audience at the Hudson Institute's New India Conference that cultural values and modernisation are not opposing forces but can thrive together. His remarks signal a deliberate RSS push to reshape its international image at a time when India-US strategic ties are deepening rapidly.

RSS as a Civilisational, Not Religious, Movement

Addressing a gathering of policymakers, scholars, and strategic experts, Hosabale described the RSS — founded in 1925 and widely considered one of the world's largest volunteer organisations — as a "people's voluntary movement" driven by "cultural ethos and civilisation values." He stressed that the organisation's century-long mission has been to build a corps of selfless volunteers committed to social service and nation building.

"RSS is the people's voluntary movement, inspired by cultural ethos and civilisation values… engaged for the last 100 years to create volunteers," he said, adding that tens of thousands of daily and weekly gatherings are held to instil "self-confidence, service-mindedness and a feeling of oneness."

Crucially, Hosabale framed Hindu identity as a civilisational concept rather than a narrowly religious one. "Hindu identity is a civilisational identity, not a religious one… there is no room for being alienated," he said — a formulation clearly aimed at countering Western perceptions of the RSS as an exclusionary Hindu nationalist body.

Countering Western Misconceptions About RSS

Hosabale acknowledged head-on that the RSS remains "extremely poorly understood" in the West, pushing back against entrenched narratives that portray it as "anti-minority, anti-development, anti-modernisation." He called these characterisations "not true" and said they have been constructed and reinforced over decades.

He argued that dialogue — with different communities, institutions, think tanks and universities — is essential to dismantle "misconceptions" and "misgivings." This outreach itself is noteworthy: the RSS has historically been reticent about engaging Western intellectual circles, making Hosabale's appearance at the Hudson Institute a strategically significant moment.

The organisation, he noted, now operates across nearly 40 civic institutions spanning education, health, rural development and disaster relief — a scale of grassroots engagement that rarely features in international coverage of the RSS.

Culture and Modernity: The Banyan Tree Metaphor

One of the most quoted lines from Hosabale's address was his rejection of any perceived conflict between tradition and progress. "Cultural values and modernisation are not contradictory… they can exist simultaneously," he said, using the imagery of a banyan tree — with "deep, strong roots" supporting "new leaves and flowers" — to illustrate how a society can evolve without abandoning its foundational identity.

This metaphor carries weight in the broader global debate about whether non-Western civilisations must adopt a Western liberal framework to be considered modern. Hosabale's framing positions India as offering an alternative model — one that integrates ancient wisdom with contemporary progress.

India-US Relations and People-to-People Ties

On geopolitics, Hosabale said India seeks "good relations with all countries," including the United States, but emphasised that durable partnerships must be anchored in "mutual trust, mutual respect and recognising the needs of each." He called for strengthening people-to-people connections, noting that "many a time, prejudices work" and that "better understanding is necessary."

His remarks come at a pivotal moment: Washington increasingly views New Delhi as a cornerstone partner in the Indo-Pacific, particularly as competition with China intensifies and global geopolitical alignments shift. The New India Conference itself reflects this growing strategic convergence, bringing together top-tier voices from both nations to examine the future of the bilateral relationship.

RSS Five-Point Domestic Agenda for the Next Phase

Hosabale also laid out five priority areas guiding the RSS as it enters a new chapter: social harmony, eco-friendly living, family values, self-reliance, and civic duties and civic sense. He described these as "universal" principles aimed at building a "strong, prosperous nation" capable of contributing meaningfully to global well-being.

He underscored the depth of commitment expected of RSS volunteers. "It is a way of life… 24 by 7 and 365 days… once a swayamsevak, always a swayamsevak," he said — framing volunteerism not as a part-time activity but as an identity and a lifelong calling.

As India's global footprint expands and its diaspora grows more influential, the RSS's international engagement strategy is likely to intensify — with more high-profile appearances at Western think tanks and policy forums expected in the months ahead.