Delivering the Sardar Patel Memorial Lecture on governance on the occasion of the National Unity Day on Friday (October 31, 2025), Mr. Doval said governance plays a “seminal role” in “nation-building process” and in securing the nation-state.
“The rise and fall of the great empires, monarchies, oligarchies, aristocracies or democracies is actually a history of their governance. In the recent cases of regime change through non-constitutional methods in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and others, these were actually cases of poor governance,” said Mr. Doval while speaking about the changes that swept India’s neighbourhood in the past few years.
His comments about the neighbourhood came soon after former Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina urged her supporters in Awami League to boycott the February 2026 election in Bangladesh that is currently being run by an interim government led by Nobel laureate Mohammed Yunus.
“I believe governance plays a seminal role in the nation-building process, as well as in securing a nation and helping it achieve its goals and aspirations,” said Mr. Doval drawing examples from the rise and fall of empires because of internal weaknesses and inept governance.(The Hindu)
