Development and conservation can always go hand in hand: Vice President

The Vice President of India addressed the Indian Forest Service (IFS) probationers of the 2025–2027 batch and Royal Bhutan Forest Service officers at the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy (IGNFA) in Dehradun. He stated that development and conservation can coexist and emphasized the role of the IFS in ensuring ecological security and contributing to India's net-zero emissions goal by 2070. The Vice President highlighted the integration of modern technologies—such as remote sensing, GIS, drones, and artificial intelligence—with traditional civilisational wisdom and community knowledge. He also noted that women comprise roughly 17 percent of the current batch, reflecting growing participation under Nari Shakti.