S Jaishankar: “Strong Businesses Reduce National Vulnerability”

Foreign Minister S Jaishankar stated on Wednesday that domestic businesses create jobs, strengthen capabilities, and reduce a nation’s vulnerability, underscoring that Atmanirbhar Bharat, or a self-reliant India, was an essential component of India’s foreign policy. He was giving a speech in Delhi at the launch of the book “Made in India” by Amitabh Kant, a former CEO of Niti Aayog and G20 Sherpa.

Mr Jaishankar stated that India’s improved business environment has elevated the nation’s global standing and that the country has democratised technology use in recent years. We are moving towards delivery politics. “The public’s thinking is being reshaped by delivery at the grassroots,” he stated.
The Minister stated that PM Modi’s flagship manufacturing improvement programme, “Make in India,” was not only an economic statement but also crucial to the nation’s strategic interests.

“We frequently hear the term wealth creators, but to reduce them to that is a gross injustice. They are businessmen; they lessen the weakness of the country. He stated, “A strong business is not only important to a nation’s security.
Mr Jaishankar stated that the most crucial aspects of India’s growth story are enhanced grass-roots delivery models, digitization, and increased formalisation of previously informal sectors.

He stated, “It must be an Atmanirbhar Bharat that the world is nirbhar (dependent) on.”
The minister went on to say that India must expand not only in a world that is much more volatile but also in one that is decarbonized. He emphasised that the greatest manufacturing opportunity for us is the establishment of a robust supply chain.

“We really want to get our emphasis back on assembling. The administration was a rich reason for not being great at assembly. “To be a great nation, we must excel in manufacturing,” the minister stated.

Mr Jaishankar insisted on locating the right partners worldwide and called for government policy to be carefully and strategically regulated. He also said not to take advice from others too seriously. “In the name of globalisation, we must be careful not to deindustrialize India,” he stated.
He went on to say that the government was paying a lot of attention to the country’s efforts to increase manufacturing capacity.

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Worldwide polarisation has made discretion troublesome but, at the same time, is an open door, he added, explicitly bringing up that questions not responded to in that frame of mind with respect to information and protection are surfacing now. Mr Jaishankar added that India was focusing on developing its own solutions despite the focus on de-risking following the pandemic due to its distinct growth story.

“Making in India also involves thinking—thinking through our growth strategy and coming up with solutions.” We have reflected upon it every time we have been confronted with a challenge,” he said, citing COVID-19 as an example.