‘India-Iran relations attaining new heights under PM Modi’
LUCKNOW:: Senior BJP leader and former Union minister for minority affairs, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, on Thursday hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s contribution to increasing India’s global stature and improving the country’s relation with other nations. Addressing a conference in Lucknow on India-Iran bilateral relations, Naqvi said “India’s relations with the global community became even better with the global community after Modi assumed office in 2014”.
During the conference, jointly organised by New Delhibased India Foundation and Iran’s Institute of Political and International Studies on Thursday, Naqvi also said that the political, diplomatic, social, economic, cultural relations between India and Iran have gained new heights under PM Modi’s leadership.
“The meeting held between PM Modi and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi during the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organico operation zation (SCO) meeting in Samarkand (Uzbekistan) in September 2022 gave a new energy to India-Iran bilateral relations,” the Union minister said. He added that the two leaders discussed many key bilateral issues and expressed their desire to further strengthen the relationship. “PM Modi and President Raisi also reviewed progress in the development of the Shahid Behesti terminal and the Chabahar Port. They also underscored the importance of bilateral in regional connectivity,” Naqvi pointed out.
The former minister said that India-Iran bilateral ties are marked by historic and civilisational connections, including strong people-to-people contacts. Praising the incumbent government’s foreign policy, the BJP leader said, “India’s relations with most of the countries have become stronger under PM Modi. Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family) is need of the hour... During Corona crisis, India-made vaccines saved lives. We also provided free vaccines to many other countries. Now, during the Russia-Ukraine war, India is playing a very balanced and sensitive role. The ehole world is witnessing India’s commitment to “sarve bhavantu sukhinah, sarve santu niramaya” (may all be prosperous, may all be healthy). India played the role of a trouble-shooter in times of need.”