Indian Diaspora is an asset to India and the world, says External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar

 SUVA [FIJI]: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday said the Indian Diaspora has achieved its own milestones and is an “enormous asset to India, the country they live in, and the world.”

“The Indian community spreading across the world has achieved its own milestones and is today an enormous asset to both India and the country where they live, as well as to the world,” the External Affairs Minister said while addressing the Indian Diaspora in Fiji on Thursday. The minister, during his community address in Suva, Fiji, said that when we look at the Indo-Pacific, we look at Fiji as an important partner with whom there is a historic and established relationship.

I am on my first visit to Fiji. After two days, I am wondering why it took me so long to get here. It’s been an interesting visit, a lot of things I learnt from being here,” the minister said.

He said that India’s foreign policy today is beginning to reflect a lot of the deep socioeconomic concerns in India. “Just like we are transforming the world within India, we also want to transform the world outside,” he said.

The minister said that India, within 24 hours of the earthquake in Turkey, was able to send a plane with a rescue team and set up a field hospital.

Jaishankar is currently on an official visit to Fiji to attend the 12th World Hindi Conference, which is being co-hosted by the Ministry of External Affairs and the Fiji government from February 15–17.

Emphasizing the “close and long-standing ties” shared between India and Fiji through “people-to-people linkages,” External Affairs Minister Jaishankar on Thursday said it was a privilege to partner in the nation-building efforts across various sectors in the South Pacific country. Jaishankar also thanked the Fijian government for partnering with India for the 12th World Hindi Conference. He said the arrangements made by the government were exceptional.

Addressing a joint press statement with the Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Ligamamada Rabuka on Thursday, Jaishankar said, “I would like to take this occasion to really publicly and sincerely thank the government of Fiji for partnering with us on this very important cultural and heritage exercise we do regularly. “The arrangements that were made were truly exceptional.” (ANI)

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