The world needs India’s sustained rise, as much as India needs the world: Prime Minister Narendra Modi

rime Minister of India, Mr. Narendra Modi, speaking at the second edition of the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi on 17 January 2017, said that the world needs India’s sustained rise, as much as India needs the world. It is, therefore, only natural that India’s choices at home and its international priorities form part of a seamless continuum firmly anchored in India’s transformational goals. He said that as the world begins to re-order itself, the multi-polarity of the world, and an increasingly multi-polar Asia, was a dominant fact today. India welcomes it because it captures the reality of the rise of many nations. It accepts that voices of many, not views of a few should shape the global agenda. Therefore, we need to guard against any instinct or inclination that promotes exclusion, especially in Asia.

Prime Minister Modi stressed India’s strategic intent was shaped by its civilizational ethos of realism; co-existence; cooperation and partnership. The prosperity of Indians, both at home and abroad, and security of its citizens was of paramount importance. But, self-interest alone was neither in Indian culture nor behavior. India’s economic and political rise represented a regional and global opportunity of great significance. It was a force for peace, a factor for stability and an engine for regional and global prosperity.

Prime Minister underlined that his government was committed to path of international engagement focused on “Rebuilding connectivity, restoring bridges and rejoining India with its immediate and extended geographies; Shaping relationships networked with India’s economic priorities; Making India a human resource power to be reckoned with, by connecting its talented youth to global needs and opportunities; Building development partnerships that extend from the islands of the Indian Ocean and Pacific to the islands of the Caribbean and from the great continent of Africa to the Americas; Creating Indian narratives on global challenges; Helping re-configure re-invigorate and rebuild global institutions and organizations; and Spreading the benefits of India's civilizational legacies, including Yoga and Ayurveda, as a global good”. He said for him, Sab KaSaath; Sab KaVikas (Growth for everyone) was not just a vision for India. It was a belief for the whole world.

Prime Minister said that the people of South Asia were joined by blood, shared history, culture, and aspirations and a thriving well-connected and integrated neighbourhood was his dream. Speaking of about his vision for India’s neighbourhood which puts a premium on peaceful and harmonious ties with entire South Asia through "Neighbourhood-first" approach, he said that vision led him to invite leaders of all SAARC nations for his swearing in.

Indian PM said that India has redefined, in a short span of time, and despite uncertainty and conflict, its partnerships with Gulf and West Asia, including Saudi Arabia, U.A.E, Qatar and Iran. In Central Asia too, it has built its ties on the edifice of shared history and culture to unlock new vistas of prosperous partnership. India’s membership of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization provides a strong institutional link to its engagement with Central Asian nations. To the East, India’s engagement with South East Asia is at the center of its ‘Act East Policy’. It has built a close engagement with the institutional structures in the region such as the East Asia Summit. India’s partnership with ASEAN and its member countries has served to enhance commerce, technology, investment, development, and security partnerships with the region.

PM Modi said that he sees the development of India and China as an unprecedented opportunity, for the two countries and for the whole world. In the management of their relationship, and for peace and progress in the region, both countries need to show sensitivity and respect for each other's core concerns and interests. Over the past two and a half years, India has given a strong momentum to its engagement with the United States, Russia, Japan and other major global powers. These partnerships were a good fit with India's economic priorities and defence and security. He said that in his conversation with President-elect Donald Trump, they agreed to keep building on these gains in India- USA strategic partnership. PM called Russia an abiding friend and said he held long conversations with President Putinon the challenges that confront the world today; and their trusted and strategic partnership, especially in the field of defence has deepened. With Europe, he said he has a vision of strong partnership in India’s development, especially in knowledge industry and smart urbanization.

India has for decades been at the forefront of sharing its capacities and strengths with fellow developing countries. India has further strengthened its ties with its brothers and sisters in Africain the last couple of years and built meaningful development partnerships on the solid foundation of decades of traditional friendship and historical links. Today, the footprint of India’s development partnership stretches all across the globe. India appreciates the compelling logic of regional connectivity for peace, progress and prosperity. In its choices and actions, it has sought to overcome barriers to its outreach to West and Central Asia, and eastwards to AsiaPacific. Two clear and successful examples of this were the tripartite agreement with Iran and Afghanistan on Chabahar; and India’s commitment to bring on line the International North South Transport Corridor.

PM Modi said that true to its traditions, India has shouldered the international burden of its commitments. It has led assistance and relief efforts in times of disaster. India was a credible first responder during the earthquake in Nepal, evacuation from Yemen and during humanitarian crises in the Maldives and Fiji. India’s strong belief in delinking terrorism from religion, and rejecting artificial distinctions between good and bad terrorism, were now a global talking point while those in its neighbourhood who support violence, encourage hatred, and export terror stand isolated and ignored. On the other pressing challenge of global warming, India has moved into a leading role. It has an ambitious agenda and an equally aggressive target to generate 175 GWwatts from renewable energy. India has also brought the international community together to create an International Solar Alliance, to harness the energy of sun to propel human growth.

In conclusion, Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi quoted ancient Indian scripture, Rig Vedawhich says"Let noble thoughts come to me from all directions”. He said, “As a society, we have always favoured needs of many over the want of one; and, preferred partnerships over polarization. We hold the belief that success of one must propel the growth of many. Our task is cut out. And, our vision is clear. Our journey of transformation begins at home. And, is strongly supported through our constructive and collaborative partnerships that span the globe. With resolute steps at home, and expanding network of reliable friendships abroad, we will grasp the promise of a future that belongs to over a billion Indians. And in this endeavor, you will find in India, my friends, a beacon of peace and progress, stability and success, and access and accommodation”.