SHIMLA: The world is in a tense situation with ongoing conflicts unlikely to end quickly and India in this scenario needs a stable government and a strong and powerful leader “with networking, standing and respect”, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Tuesday.
Interacting with a select group of media persons here, he said there are ongoing conflicts in Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Gaza-Iran and there are issues on the Indian borders too, adding a clear message should go that India has a strong leadership.
“The world is in a tense situation and the ongoing conflicts would not end so quickly and that’s why India needs a stable government, a strong and powerful leader with networking, standing and respect,” he said.
“If your family was in Ukraine during the Russia-Ukraine war, who would you want at the top of the nation – Prime Minister Narendra Modi or some other face,” Jaishankar asked.
“I see four-five years of difficult times ahead and the electorates should wisely vote as similar conflicts could happen on our borders,” he told the media persons.
China is constructing roads, bridges and model village at the border on the land it took in 1962 and had made a road to Siachen with the coordination of Pakistan and India has also deployed forces, improved logistics on the border and the budget for India-China border has been increased from Rs 3000 crore to Rs 15,000 crore, the minister said.
The idea behind the vibrant village programme under which border villages are being developed is to stop flight of people from borders by creating basic facilities like infrastructure, water, digital connection and provide livelihood, Jaishankar said while responding to a question.
“We are living in a competitive world and China is asserting itself and India has also focused on manufacturing (Made In India) to make the country self-reliant, generate employment and self employment avenues for the overall development,” he said.
The minister also said India has given a clear message that terrorism would not be tolerated and terrorists would pay the price.
Ten years of the Modi government is a symbol of positive change, he said.
“Our support base is increasing in the United Nations (UN) under Modi’s leadership,” he said and added that “Modi is being looked upon as a strong leader and today, nations look up to India.”
Referring to the issue of India’s permanent membership at the UN, Jaishankar said that in 1944, India was not an independent nation and could not get the membership.
However, when Jawaharlal Nehru was the prime minister, India was offered a permanent seat, but Nehru said that China should be the permanent member, he claimed.
Hitting out at the Congress for raising sensitive issues in its political campaigns, Jaishankar also alleged that during the tenure of Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, China infiltrated in Arunachal Pradesh but the opposition never went in public to embarrass the government.
