'The answer is Modi,' says MEA Jaishankar on India's socio-economic transformation in last decade

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Monday credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership for the socioeconomic transformation of India in the past decade. He also acknowledged global transformations and the evolving India-UK relationship.

Dr Jaishankar made these remarks while addressing a Diwali reception in London. The minister also emphasised PM Modi's significant role in shaping India's trajectory. The foreign minister arrived in Britain on Saturday for an official visit and will conclude his visit on November 15.

"I began by saying the world has changed, our relationship has changed, the UK has changed, and India has changed. So you may ask me what has changed in India. You know the answer. The answer is Modi," Jaishankar was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. He also highlighted Modi government's policies such as Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, construction of toilets for girls, Jandhan Yojana for last-mile financial inclusion and Awas Yojana for housing as well as flagship projects Digital India, Skill India and Startup India.

"The long answer actually lies in this range of initiatives that all of you have heard about for the last ten years. Initiatives like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao; building toilets for girls, about houses, the Awas Yojana... And these other campaigns, the Skill India campaign... it is when you connect these dots, it's really then you see the cumulative impact of all of this on the lives of people, and that is the change which is underway in India," he said.

Reflecting on the changes in the past ten years, Jaishankar said nearing the completion of its second tenure, the government has created as many new universities and colleges as the country had in the last 65 years. Moving on from the strides India has made in the past decade, the External Affairs Minister shifted his attention to the evolving India-UK relationship.

Jaishankar underscored the importance of preparing for contemporary times and the need to recalibrate India-UK ties accordingly. "We are today trying to reframe the relationship between India and the UK. We are trying to do so because, in the last many decades, our two countries have each changed profoundly," he noted.

(With ANI inputs)

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