Our quest for ‘Viksit Bharat’ will understandably be followed closely: Jaishankar at UNGA

United Nations: As India lands on the moon or dispatches vaccines worldwide, its quest for a ‘Viksit Bharat’ will be followed closely, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Saturday.

In his address to the UN General Assembly, Jaishankar also said that in these troubled times, it is necessary to provide hope and rekindle optimism.

“When India lands on the moon, rolls out its own 5G stack, dispatches vaccines worldwide, embraces fintech or houses so many Global Capability Centres, there is a message here. Our quest for a ‘Viksit Bharat’ or developed India will understandably be followed closely,” he said.

Jaishankar highlighted India’s efforts to focus on the issues of the vulnerable, women, farmers and youth; expanding opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship; creating templates that are replicable elsewhere and encouraging the Global South to voice its shared concerns and come together.

“Given the scale of transformation underway in India, each of these dimensions underline that the world’s problems can indeed be tackled. And that by working together, we can surely create a larger lifting tide,” he said.

“In these troubled times, it is necessary to provide hope and rekindle optimism… We have to demonstrate that big changes are possible, and not over a long period. Nothing is more powerful in this regard than the transformative potential of the digital.

“We have seen its impact in our daily lives in India over the last decade. It is visible when public benefits, from nutritional support and housing to energy and health, are delivered efficiently and on a vast scale. Or when small business loans and farmers’ support are extended without using intermediaries,” Jaishankar said in his address.

He said when street vendors and expat workforce confidently use fintech in their regular transactions, when services, delivery and benefits move seamlessly and transparently, less people will be left behind, and this he described is “India’s experience and India’s relevance”.

“Such leapfrogging possibilities, coupled with people-centric policies and visionary leadership, can be real game changers,” Jaishankar said.