Tuesday, November 12, 2024
spot_img

Foreign visits were crucial for building ties: President Patil

Date:

Share post:

spot_img
spot_img

On Board President’s Special Aircraft: As she embarked on her last tour abroad as President, Pratibha Patil on Sunday dismissed criticism over a large number of foreign visits undertaken by her, insisting that they were not on her own volition but at the request of the government to promote India’s relations.

“Government wanted me to visit two-three more countries, but it was not possible due to paucity of time,” she told reporters accompanying her in her state visits to Seychelles and South Africa as part of ‘our efforts to further consolidate our ties with Africa…(which) occupies an important place in India’s foreign policy’.

Patil’s term as President is ending on July 25.

The President’s refrain was that in an interdependent world, no country can remain in its own cocoon and it was necessary for countries to increase engagement with others.

Noting that India was elected as non-Permanent member of the UN Security Council with an ‘overwhelming majority’, she said that for this it was ‘very necessary’ to make new friends and promote ties with the old ones.

Asked as to how would she describe her 22 foreign visits so far, she remarked that they have been ‘very successful’ in promoting India’s growing image abroad and strengthen the country’s ties with those nations which she visited.

Elaborating on the different kind of ties in a fast changing world, she said the relations between countries were no longer only political in nature, but have different aspects like economic, educational and cultural. She said that in such a scenario, high-level visits help in strengthening and furthering ties.

President’s remarks were significant as they have come in the wake of a controversy following reports that some Rs 205 crore were spent by the government for her visits abroad and that she was one of the most widely travelled occupant of the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Patil said that her visit to Seychelles, the strategically located island republic in the Indian Ocean, was important as ‘we are sharing waters with it’.

After her visit to Seychelles, the President will leave for South Africa on May one on the second leg of her tour. Patil said that South Africa is a country with which ‘we have deep-rooted historical ties and share a strategic and multi-faceted relationship’.

“We view South Africa as one of our closest strategic partners in the developing world and in the African continent. We work together in various international for a including the UN Security Council, G 20, IBSA, BRICS, IOR-ARC and others”, she said in the statement. (PTI)

spot_img
spot_img

Related articles

Shillong’s skyline, seen from Khyndai Lad, adorns itself in colourful hues as winter begins to take hold of the city, on Monday

Shillong’s skyline, seen from Khyndai Lad, adorns itself in colourful hues as winter begins to take hold of the...

HC sets aside NEHU’s order in leave dispute

The court quashed NEHU's directive, asserting that Prof Keshan’s online teaching should be considered valid duty. The...

Initiative in Ampati celebrates students as future leaders

From Our Correspondent TURA, Nov 11: Aiming to nurture future leaders, the “Building Young Leaders: Empowering Adolescent Boys and...

31 schools engage in innovative science, env competitions

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Nov 11: A total of 31 schools and over 180 students participated in the State-Level...