Foreign Minister S Jaishankar said on China's increasing interference in the region that the Indo-Pacific concept is a rejection of the approach to increase dominance. It shows that the world cannot be stopped for the benefit of some countries. The Indo-Pacific is not a sign of the past but a future and those with a Cold War mentality need to see these intentions.
Jaishankar, while addressing the Global Town Hall program on Friday through video conferencing, said, "The recognition of the Indo-Pacific ideology has increased in recent times. ASEAN's view on this is also noteworthy. Apart from various countries, we have seen Germany, France, and the Netherlands adopting this approach.
The need of the hour is to give it a practical shape. This can happen through discussions between diplomats at various levels, like the Quad. It is based on the seven pillars of maritime security, marine ecology, marine resources, capacity building and resource allocation, disaster risk reduction, and management. From any perspective, the Indo-Pacific region is a more contemporary interpretation of the present reality and there is a need for wider cooperation in such a scenario.
Dealt with corona effectively
Jaishankar referred to India's effective response during the Corona crisis, saying India showed determination and discipline in dealing with the Corona challenge. A country that did not manufacture ventilators, testing kits, PPE kits, and N-95 masks is not only meeting its needs but exporting it to other countries. We built an impressive infrastructure in a short time. This is evidenced by the high rate of patient recovery and low mortality.