India’s diplomacy has scaled new heights, says Modi
P K Mishra, principal secretary to the Prime Minister, who also addressed the event, said it was Modi’s vision that the G20 should be a pan-India event
India’s diplomacy has scaled new heights in the last 30 days and some decisions taken during the G20 Summit have the capacity to entirely change the direction the 21st century world takes, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday.
Addressing students, faculty members and heads of educational institutions at the finale of the G20 University Connect – an initiative that seeks to build an understanding of India’s G20 Presidency among the youngsters – in the national capital, the Prime Minister said he met 85 world leaders in the past 30 days.
“I want to give you a report card of the last 30 days. That will give you an idea of the speed and scale of New India. You must remember August 23. Everyone was praying and then suddenly there was a smile on everyone’s face. The entire world heard India’s voice: ‘India is on the Moon’,” he said.
“August 23 has become immortal in the country as the National Space Day. Soon after the success of its lunar mission, India launched its solar mission,” he added.
The Prime Minister also said that “India’s diplomacy reached new heights” during this period and that the G20 Summit could have been limited to a diplomatic and Delhi-centric programme but India made it a people-driven national movement.
“A 100% consensus on the Delhi declaration made global headlines… decisions taken during the G20 Summit have potential to change the 21st century’s direction… In today’s polarised international atmosphere, it is not a small thing to get so many countries together on one platform,” he said.
“Due to the growing international profile of India, the country is getting new opportunities, new friends and new markets, providing new opportunities to the youngsters,” he added.
The entire world is looking towards India with hope as they now recognise the potential of India and its youngsters, Modi said. “The progress of India and its youngsters is extremely important for the progress of the world. My strength lies in the youngsters of India,” he said.
P K Mishra, principal secretary to the Prime Minister, who also addressed the event, said it was Modi’s vision that the G20 should be a pan-India event and that events be held in every state and Union Territory. “The G20 was thus decentralised, democratised and taken to every corner of the country. Each state left its unique cultural stamp on the minds of the delegates, thereby giving the world an idea of India’s diversity,” he said.
Mishra said a key priority of India’s G20 Presidency was to create a more inclusive world, where the voice of the Global South would no longer be overlooked. “The greatest achievement in this regard was the acceptance of India’s proposal to welcome the African Union as a permanent member of the G20,” he said.