‘India will not allow anyone to veto its choices’

India will not allow anyone a veto on its foreign policy choices, external affairs minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar said on Tuesday. Speaking at a special event in the capital to mark eight years in office of the Modi government, he also said India would never accept any unilateral attempt to change the status quo at its borders, in what is seen as a veiled indication towards China.

Addressing foreign envoys at the event, the EAM said India would do what it takes to ensure national well-being, even as he listed the pro-people policies of the Modi government. On the economic front, Mr Jaishankar said India would “make with the world and for the world”. Emphasising social inclusiveness, the minister referred to the Modi government’s slogan of “sabka saath sabka vikas sabka vishwas and sabka prayas”.

“We will not allow anyone a veto on our choices,” the EAM said. The statement is significant, considering India’s independent foreign policy choices such as strengthening the Quad while maintaining strong ties with time-tested friend Russia.

The external affairs minister, meanwhile, also said that India is looking forward to joining the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), overcoming the political impediments that are against global interest. “Strengthening a rules-based order is a natural inclination of a polity like India. We value all opportunities to contribute to it,” he said.

Mr Jaishankar said India’s membership of the MTCR (Missile Technology Control Regime), Australia Group and the Wassenaar Arrangement are significant. All these groupings are multilateral export control regimes.

“As a nation with a substantial nuclear industry, we also look forward to joining the Nuclear Suppliers Group, overcoming the political impediments that are against global interest,” Mr Jaishankar said.

The 48-member NSG is an elite club of countries that deals with the trade in nuclear technology and fissile materials besides contributing to the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.

China has been stridently opposing India’s NSG bid primarily on the grounds that New Delhi is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Its opposition has made India’s entry into the group difficult as the NSG works on the principle of consensus.