Indian External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr S Jaishankar said that Indian PM Narendra Modi represents a more authentic India, speaks for it and responds to the needs of its people.
Jaishankar was speaking at the “9 Years of Modi Government: A Foreign Policy Overview” event at the India International Centre, where he outlined the nine key achievements of India’s foreign policy across different fronts over the last nine years.
Growth of India’s Global Role
In his speech, Jaishankar focused on the growth of India’s role on the global stage, its successful ‘Neighbourhood-First’ policy, and its policy for the extended neighbourhood.
Speaking at the event, he said that while India and the US were trying to address the obstacles of the relationship earlier, today, they have moved into the positive domain. “Our relations with the US are doing extremely well,” the EAM commented. Jaishankar also emphasised that India’s relationship with Europe is doing well.
On India’s relationship with Russia, the EAM remarked, “This relationship has been kept steady, despite all the turbulence in the world,” referring to the Ukraine War and its unintended consequences, including global food and energy insecurity.
Our relationship with the US is doing exceptionally well, says EAM Jaishankar pic.twitter.com/ogwolcNEW2
— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) June 28, 2023
International Challenges, Cultural Rebalancing, India Model
Jaishankar said that India had tackled international challenges like climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters, and food security by forming the International Solar Alliance, supplying vaccines, and being a part of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure.
The EAM also underscored India’s success in furthering cultural aspects like Yoga and Ayurveda on the global stage, affirming that “cultural rebalancing is as important as economic and political rebalancing.”
Lastly, Jaishankar said that New Delhi has been able to curate a unique “India model” by undertaking more than 600 projects in 78 countries. He noted G20 an opportunity to present India to the world and to demonstrate what the country is capable of.
Speaking at the “9 Years of #Modi Government: A Foreign Policy Overview” event, #India's EAM, Dr S #Jaishankar, spoke on the challenges #NewDelhi faces in its neighbourhood. Read more:https://t.co/WZz6HECVKD#China #LOC #Pakistan #SriLanka #COVID
— Statecraft (@statecraftdaily) June 29, 2023
Updated and Refreshed Agenda, Broader Scope of National Security
The EAM underlined India’s security achievements in Uri, Balakot, and the northern border with China. He said that the understanding of security should be expanded to include economic, technological, and health security. “Production of semiconductors is absolutely essential to our national security,” he remarked.
Jaishankar said India’s present agenda is updated and refreshed, and it has harmonised its nationalism with internationalism. Furthermore, the EAM mentioned that India today has strategic clarity and the confidence to act on it.