New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday said his government has sought to engineer a fundamental reset in the foreign policy based on national priorities, asserting that the policy of the country should reflect these preferences and concerns.
Addressing the Indian Ambassadors/High Commissioners conclave attended by nearly 120 envoys to discuss cross-border terror and India’s ties with neighbours, including China, among other key regional issues, he said this was a time of immense flux in the world.
Crediting the envoys for working with modest resources and often in difficult and dangerous circumstances, he said they were functioning in an environment of rising expectations and relentless public scrutiny.
“Over these past nine years, our government has sought to engineer a fundamental reset in our foreign policy based on our national priorities and what we believe is India’s role and destiny in world affairs,” Singh said.
Outlining five principles, which according to him, have come to define India’s foreign policy, he said the country’s relations with the world – both major powers and our Asian neighbours – are increasingly shaped by our developmental priorities.
“The single most important objective of Indian foreign policy has to be to create a global environment conducive to the well-being of our great country. Second, that greater integration with the world economy will benefit India and enable our people to realise their creative potential,” he told the diplomats.
Third, India seeks stable, long term and mutually beneficial relations with all major powers, Singh said, adding India was prepared to work with the international community to create a global economic and security environment beneficial to all nations.
“Fourth, we recognise that the Indian sub-continent’s shared destiny requires greater regional cooperation and connectivity. Towards this end, we must strengthen regional institutional capability and capacity and invest in connectivity. Fifth, our foreign policy is not defined merely by our interests, but also by the values which are very dear to our people,” he added.
India’s experiment of pursuing economic development within the framework of a plural, secular and liberal democracy has inspired people around the world and should continue to do so, Singh said.
The four-day brainstorming meet, which is a closed-door affair, will not be confined to India’s role in the present international scenario and will also deliberate issues like the repeated ceasefire violations by Pakistan and developments in China on the borders, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson has said. (PTI)
