India voice of peace, security, says Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar recently made a suo motu statement on “latest developments in India’s foreign policy” in both Houses of Parliament amid sloganeering by Opposition members demanding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address on the Manipur issue.

Listing the overseas engagements by the President, the Vice President and the Prime Minister, Jaishankar said India’s stature has been rising globally and the country is emerging as a “credible and effective” development partner.

The minister spoke about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United States and the key outcomes of it. He also spoke about the PM’s visit to the UAE and Egypt and highlighted instances of India hosting the Shanghai Corporation Organisation summit and co-chairing the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation in Papua New Guinea.

“He (Modi) was also accorded the rare privilege of addressing a joint session of the US Congress for a second time,” the minister said, adding, “Today, the world recognises that when India speaks, it speaks not only for itself, but for many others. India speaks as a voice of peace, security, and prosperity for all.”

Jaishankar further said India assumed the landmark G20 presidency in 2022, at the beginning of Amrit Kaal. “We will host the summit in September. Our Presidency has served as a catalyst to invigorate our foreign policy and given more force to realise the Prime Minister’s vision of an Atmanirbhar and Viksit Bharat that regains its rightful place in the world,” he said.

The Opposition parties in the Rajya Sabha continued raising slogans such as “Pradhan Mantri Sadan me aao, Sadan me aake kuch toh bolo” throughout the minister’s statement, prompting the latter to question the priorities of the Opposition’s grouping, “INDIA”. “They claim to be ‘INDIA’, but if they are not prepared to listen about India’s national interests then what kind of India are they,” he asked.

Noting that India’s President and Prime Minister have received the highest honours from other countries, he said, “If you cannot respect the President, cannot respect the Vice President, cannot respect the Prime Minister; if you won’t allow the Foreign Minister to make a statement in the House; then it’s a very sorry state of affairs.” In matters of national interests, politics should be set aside, he said.

(The Indian Express)