External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar highlighted the important developments made in India’s relationship with Gulf countries over the past decade. ‘Unlike previous governments, the policies under PM Modi’s administration have extended to include investments, technology, security and connectivity in Gulf countries’, said PM Modi.
On a question that there is a perception that India’s principal focus in its extended neighbourhood is now in Gulf, not ASEAN, Jaishankar replied, ‘I would not take an either/or approach. Certainly, in the last decade, India’s ties with Gulf nations have really taken off. Earlier governments used to view them more from the perspective of trade, energy and diaspora. In contrast, the Modi government’s policies have extended to investments, technology, security and connectivity’.
EAM also noted that India feels that the contributions of the Indian community are more acknowledged in the Gulf. He said, ‘We definitely feel that the contributions of our community are more strongly recognized in the Gulf. Both the economic and demographic complementaries are today coming into much greater play. But because of this, I would not draw any conclusions in regard to ASEAN. Out ties have deepened as well as in this very period’.
The time is ripe to move to the next level of our ties.
Do read my interview with @straits_times ahead of Prime Minister @narendramodi’s visit to Singapore.
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🔗: https://t.co/SrssvfRrMF pic.twitter.com/0hxfM4F92l
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) September 3, 2024
The External Affairs Minister further said that India being the fifth largest economy will necessarily have multi-directional engagements. He said, ‘The fact is that India as the most populous country and currently the fifth-largest economy will necessarily have multi-directional engagements. The world is not a zero-sum games for us’.
Jaishankar also expressed his views on the Act East policy and emphasized that Singapore has a central role to play. He said, ‘Singapore, which was at the core of our Look East policy, has an equally central role in the Act East policy as well. If you look at the new domains that reflect this evolution, Singapore’s partnership in security, connectivity, technology and sustainability is evident’
Jaishankar said, ‘The Act East policy is certainly very active for a variety of reasons. Southeast Asia itself has much untapped potential. Its demographic and growth prospects make it a lon
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