Work, right messaging helping India: S Jaishankar

NEW DELHI: India’s growing stature in the world is an outcome of the economic progress that the country has made in the last quarter of a century, and in the last few years, a concerted effort has been made to get across the message of India being an easier place to do business, according to foreign secretary S Jaishankar.

Jaishankar elaborated on the Modi government’s forays into economic diplomacy and the role played by diplomats including India’s diplomatic missions in an address at the PHD Chamber of Commerce Ambassador’s Club in Delhi on Monday.

“The agenda of change now extends beyond the narrow scope of governmental policy to much broader social transformation. Here too, some of that responsibility rests on the shoulders of Indian diplomacy. Facilitating and promoting national flagship initiatives like Digital India, Skill India, Smart Cities or Start-up India are a core element of our diplomatic interactions.”

Referring to the economic agenda of leadership level visits abroad during the past few years, the foreign secretary recalled, “Indeed, if one looks at the outcomes of incoming and outgoing leadership level visits, you will note that these collaborations form a significant segment of the discussions. This is also true of initiatives focused on modernizing infrastructure and upgrading technologies.”

Targeting the audience at a business chamber, Jaishankar urged “We also encourage Indian businesses to make their contribution, both directly and indirectly, in this important endeavour. Underlying our thinking is the calculation that the region, and indeed the world, is better served if India’s prosperity becomes a broader lifting tide. In recent years, we have therefore dramatically expanded our lines of credit and development assistance, while taking a regional approach to cooperation prospects.”

“The growth of India, its interests and capabilities, has predictably shortened our sense of distance. Today, more than ever before since Independence, the extended neighbourhood – be it to the East or the West – looms much larger on our radar. The relationship with ASEAN and East Asia is of course inextricably associated with the era of reform….”