INDIA CAN PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN UNSTABLE WORLD, SAYS PM

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said India can play a major role in “today’s unstable world to achieve global peace and prosperity” while addressing heads of Indian diplomatic missions at their annual gathering.

“India can play a major role in today’s unstable world to achieve global peace & prosperity Inspiring address by PM @narendramodi — his 4th — at the 9th Heads of Mission conference,” said a tweet from external affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar.

The ministry didn’t make public Modi’s speech, reasoning that the conclave was a closeddoor affair.

A person familiar with the speech said, “The PM placed the role India can play in the international affairs as an anchor of stability when international order is undergoing a flux.”

At the three-day conference that deliberated upon the country’s foreign policy, priorities were discussed, including the neighbourhood, relationship with the big powers, external affairs ministry and services rendered to citizens such as passports, how diplomatic outreach can benefit India’s own domestic economic growth, dealing with multilateral forums and effective use of soft power in spreading country’s diplomatic heft.

Addressing the session, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj said, “India’s global profile and prestige have gone up significantly” since PM Modi has assumed office.

“Highlight of the 9th Heads of Mission Conference — a session with PM @narendramodi on the last day of the 3-day conference,” Kumar said in other tweet.

President Ram Nath Kovind also met the envoys at Rashtrapati Bhavan. He told them that the litmus test of India’s engagement with the world is what it is able to do to propel domestic growth and development.

THE EXTERNAL AFFAIRS MINISTRY DIDN’T MAKE PUBLIC MODI’S SPEECH, REASONING THAT THE CONCLAVE WAS A CLOSEDDOOR AFFAIR