India at the forefront of global governance: BJP leader
DUBAI — India should be a greater stakeholder in the institutions of global governance, a senior leader of India’s ruling party said on Thursday.
Speaking at the 3rd WION Global Summit in Dubai, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) general secretary Ram Madhav said India is the 21st century powerhouse and the IndoPacific region is the new global power axis. Indian Ocean has emerged as the epicentre of global trade today.
Madhav said the Indian Ocean is a critical link in global trade routes, with 80 per cent of global seaborne trade passing through this corridor.
He added: “It is here that populations with purchasing power exist. The ASEAN nations are now seen as the main driver whose centrality cannot be understated.”
He affirmed that as an important power in the region, India is committed to the principles of inclusivity, freedom of navigation and secure and open trade lines.
Foreign Policies
Ram Madhav claimed India’s grand arrival on the global stage can be testified by the dehyphenated foreign policy that will be visible in its bilateral relations.
“More pragmatism and more need-based approach than the traditional ethos, with a more rational public discourse on various foreign policy aspects is the need of the hour,” he added.
The BJP leader said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has introduced this dehyphenation as an important dimension of India’s foreign policy when it comes to dealing with countries like China, the US, Russia or Saudi Arabia”.
From Howdy Modi to Namaste Trump, the BJP veteran also highlighted the growing strength of the bilateral relationship between Washington and New Delhi.
Quoting Former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Madhav said: “US and India are natural allies”.
“We have strong bilateral trade and people to people relations. Close to four million strong Indian diaspora is an important bond between the two countries. But the relationship is much more than that. The upgraded US-India relationship is a defining one for both the countries and the larger world in the 21st century,” he added.
Nationalism and Technology
Madhav revealed that India’s engagement with international organisations was an important part of its diplomacy, as they provide a platform to protect and pursue the country’s national and international interests abroad.
“Nationalism is about protecting the interest of one’s own country and for the good of every citizen. But every country must work for the larger good of the world,” he added.
“With the advent of technology, we will increasingly be living in a borderless world. In such a situation, multilateralism has an important role to play.
“The global institutions of governance which were created in the last century will have to undergo major reforms for their own survival,” he concluded.
More pragmatism and more need-based approach than the traditional ethos, with a more rational public discourse on various foreign policy aspects is the need of the hour.” Ram Madhav,
BJP general secretary