New Delhi: Veteran Congress leader and former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has praised Narendra Modi led Union government over its stand on Russia-Ukraine conflict. The senior Congress leader said that the Union government has done the right thing. The former Prime Minister said this in an exclusive interview with The Indian Express ahead of the G20 summit.
‘I am very glad that India’s rotational chance for the Presidency of the G20 came during my lifetime and I am witness to India hosting world leaders for the G20 summit. Foreign policy has always been an important element of India’s governance framework, but it is fair to say that it has become even more relevant and important to domestic politics today than earlier. While India’s standing in the world should rightfully be an issue in domestic politics, it is equally important to exercise restraint in using diplomacy and foreign policy for party or personal politics,’ said Manmohan Singh.
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‘When two or more powers are caught in a conflict, there is immense pressure on other nations to choose sides. I believe India has done the right thing in putting our sovereign and economic interests first while also appealing for peace. The G20 was never envisaged as the forum for settling security-related conflicts. It is important for the G20 to set aside security differences and keep its focus on policy coordination to tackle the challenges of climate, inequality and confidence in global trade,’ he added.
‘It is not right for me to offer advice to the Prime Minister on how to handle complex diplomatic matters. It is unfortunate that the Chinese President Xi Jinping has chosen not to attend the G20 summit. I hope and believe the Prime Minister will take all steps necessary to protect India’s territorial and sovereign integrity and defuse bilateral tensions,’ said the former PM.
‘As a peaceful democracy with a large market and abundant human and natural resources, India can rise to become an economic powerhouse of the world in the coming decades through the emphasis on manufacturing and production combined with services. As the world transitions to an environment-friendly development model, it opens new avenues such as green mobility, minerals and clean technologies that India must be ready to capitalise on, which can yield jobs and prosperity to our people. On the whole, I am more optimistic about India’s future than worried. However, my optimism is contingent on India being a harmonious society, which is the bedrock for all progress and development. India’s innate instinct is to welcome and celebrate diversity which must be preserved,’ said Manmohan Singh.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and other leaders of the G20 grouping as well as chiefs of many leading world bodies like the International Monetary Fund, World Bank will attend the G20 Summit. It is for the first time that India is hosting the annual Summit of the G20.
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