External Affairs Minister Sushma Sawaraj said India is a proactive and constructive contributor to maintaining international peace and security. Emphasising on educating the mass in the country about changing dynamics of International Politics, Sushma said, for us, transformation is not just a national agenda, but a global vision.
“Through the Ministry of External Affairs, we hope to elevate research and our knowledge base by reaching out to various institutions, building partnerships. Increasing knowledge lies at the heart of India’s aspirations in the world arena,” she said during ongoing Raisina Dialogue series in New Delhi. On international Solar Alliance, Sushma said that tremendous strides were being made in launching international solar alliance in partnership with France.
India and other countries alike must remember that the world is one family,” she said. In another talks in Raisina Dialogue series, titled The World in a Moment: Looking Back, Looking ahead, Looking Hard, emerging power equation between China and United States were discussed.
In discussions former security officer expressed concern over trans -Atlantic relationship and also sought to open the alliance for India. General David H Petrarus (Retd), Chairman, KKR Global institute, USA said, “India has to decide and has to take a side in the new world order shaped by rising China and resurgent Russia. Echoing the same view, Former foreign secretary S Jaishankar said,”Yes, India must take a side.”
Paolo Gentiloni, Former Prime Minister, Italy said that Europe is more aware of China and the issue of cooperation. “There is a worry about
the unpredictability of hostile escalations between China and the US, adding,”Perhaps, Europe and India can stand together in the face of these concerns.
On China’s emergence at global platform in business, trade and commerce, security, General David said, The China situation has become the defining issue of our time, and it will become more relevant with different countries becoming key players in the international system.” adding, the trends suggest that what seems to emerging is in a way, a new cold war between the two great superpowers,” he added.
Experts also said the trans-Atlantic alliance and Europe is not keen to have a confrontational attitude towards Russia. We have to defend and transform our multilateral, global strategies to eradicate the current rising tensions.
“In the current political climate, there has been concern around the complacency of European nations in terms of the events taking place in Asia,” said Dr Jai Shankar.
“India needs to reiterate its commitment to their beliefs and stand in terms of the power dynamics.
A part of the problem with the US for us today is the ability to distinguish between the baby and the bath water,” he said further. On common interests to resolve security and trade issues, experts highlighted that Europe has failed to develop a common defence agenda and we need to delve deeper into solving this issue.
Giving preference to Europe for its pivotal geopolitical role, Gentiloni said,” The primary concern in Europe has been the conditions required to accord China, a market economy status.
This complex process requires many decisions to facilitate this situation.
The article was first published in The Pioneer daily by Sapna Singh.
