New Delhi, Sep 10 (IANS) Former Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, on Wednesday, underscored the importance of peace and stability in Nepal, stressing that developments in the Himalayan nation have a direct bearing on India, particularly in its bordering states.
Speaking on the sidelines of the AIMA Awards, Shringla told IANS, “For India, peace and stability is very important in our immediate neighbourhood. It is important from the point of view of people both in Nepal as well as parts of our country which are bordering Nepal, that there is restoration of law and order and normalcy in Nepal as soon as possible.”
He underlined that India shares a “special relationship” with Nepal, which requires constant engagement.
“From our perspective, Nepal is an immediate neighbour, and we are actively engaged with Nepal in many ways. There is a special relationship that we have with Nepal and all the more reason why we would like to see what emerges in the best interests of people of Nepal,” he added.
Turning to India’s foreign policy, Shringla credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership for steering the country effectively through turbulent global conditions.
“PM Modi’s strong and stable leadership in foreign policy has been unprecedented. We are witnessing a very volatile geopolitical situation, given the ups and downs of geopolitics, our country has come out very well,” he noted.
He said that India had withstood global pressures, including high energy prices and international pressures, by maintaining steady economic growth.
“We are the fastest growing economy in the world, lowest ratio of inflation, highest foreign exchange reserves. All this has been possible due to the strong leadership of PM Modi. Bharat stands strong and safe under the able and stable leadership of the Prime Minister,” he added.
On US President Donald Trump’s recent post, Shringla said it reflected the importance of New Delhi’s partnership with Washington.
“It’s good news, we have an important partnership with the US, and the fact that President Trump is referring to it only underlines the significance of our ties,” he added.
–IANS
sas/khz