Amid the ongoing tariff war initiated by former US President Donald Trump targeting Indian goods, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday urged the nation to embrace swadeshi products and self-reliance as the only path forward.

Speaking during the Vijayadashami celebrations at RSS headquarters in Nagpur, Bhagwat emphasized that India’s dependence on international trading partners should not lead to helplessness. "There is no substitute for swadeshi and swavalamban," he asserted.

He further elaborated, "Being aatmanirbhar (self-reliant) would allow India to act according to our own will. The world functions on interdependence. No nation can live in isolation. This interdependence should not be turned into compulsion. We must move towards swadeshi and self-reliance; there is no alternative. Our harmony must be our own."

Bhagwat also touched upon the recent Gen Z-led protests in Nepal, which led to the violent end of the KP Oli government. Warning about external interference, he said, "Violent uprising doesn't lead to anything. They only lead to anarchy. Unrest gives opportunity to foreign powers to meddle."

Calling such violent revolutions in India’s neighborhood a troubling sign, he stressed, "The grammar of anarchy needs to be stopped. But using this way to express their unhappiness benefits no one… If we see the history of all the political revolutions so far, none of them has ever achieved their objective… All the revolutions in nations with governments have transformed frontal nations into capitalist nations."

Earlier in the day, Bhagwat performed ‘Shastra Puja’ at the Reshimbagh ground of the RSS headquarters, displaying not only traditional arms but also replicas of modern weapons such as Pinaka MK-1, Pinaka Enhance, Pinaka, and drones.