New Delhi, India (CU)_ According to S Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made India’s voice heard in the international arena, raising India’s profile internationally. Citing the series of discussions he held with global leaders in New York on the margins of the UN General Assembly, Jaishankar stated that he is able to make this assertion based on the feedback he received during these discussions.
During an interactive session with the Indian-American community hosted by the US India Friendship Council and the Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS), Jaishankar stated that India’s voice is being taken seriously on the international stage due to the leadership and policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Referring to his New York meetings, the foreign minister said, “Today our opinions count, our views matter, and today we actually have the ability to shape the big issues of our time. I think these are the main takeaways from a very, very intensive set of interactions over the last six days”.
In response to a query about Ukraine, Jaishankar stated that the nature of this planet is such that a major crisis can produce massive waves around the globe. He said, “People across the world are paying the cost of fuel and food. I think this conflict has different facets and perhaps some of those, maybe addressed (earlier)”. Moreover, Indian-Americans from across the country and as far away as Los Angeles and Houston traveled by plane to attend the meeting. The External Affairs Minister landed in Washington, D.C. on a four-day official visit from New York, where he participated in the annual United Nations General Assembly.
During his visit, he will likely meet with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. He is also expected to meet with representatives of the corporate sector and the community of think tanks. He stated, “During my professional lifetime, as a diplomat, perhaps the biggest change that I saw, and I was privileged to be part of, was a change in the relationship between India and America”.
The minister referred to Indian-Americans as the live link between the two nations and the pillars of this development. Referring to the contribution of the Indian-American community in developing this bond, he remarked, “I can never say enough about. “India, America relationship has changed because of Indian-Americans. It did not change only because of government policies”.
