Dr. S Jaishankar: Becoming foreign secretary was the limit of ambition

External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar said he is not sure if any other Prime Minister except Narendra Modi would have appointed him as a minister.

Speaking at an event in Pune for the release of his English book “The India Way: Strategies for an Uncertain World,” which has been translated into Marathi as ‘Bharat Marg’, Dr. S Jaishankar said that becoming foreign secretary was the limit of his ambition.

Prior to being appointed as a minister, S Jaishankar served as Foreign Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs.

External Affairs Minister said, “For me to become foreign secretary, was frankly the limit of my ambition, I had never even dreamt of becoming a minister”.

“I am not sure any Prime Minister, other than Narendra Modi would have made me minister,” he added.

Mr. Jaishankar further said, “I really also sometimes ask myself that if he was not the Prime Minister, would I have had the courage to enter politics, I don’t know.” He also shared his experience of working as a foreign secretary with former Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj.

Dr. S Jaishankar point of view over the late Sushma Swaraj

We had a very-very good minister Sushma ji and we got along personally very well. I would say our combination was very good, a minister-secretary combination. But, I did learn one thing, there is a difference in responsibilities, and there is a difference in the overall sense of being a secretary and a minister.

Jaishankar stated, “Secretary still has a minister above them who is answerable to parliament, answerable in public, who still gives protection and comfort, you know there is that umbrella.” The External Affairs Minister said that this has shaped his behavior as a minister and that he needs to infuse confidence in the system.

Also read: British PM fires Conservative party chairman over tax bill allegations