The world is watching India as it battles a debilitating second wave of Covid-19. How did the pandemic turn the tables on India? How did India go overnight from exporting vaccines to importing them? How will this lethal second wave affect India’s economic growth? What about the status of India’s relations with China? And what is the future for UK India relations following the recent Virtual Summit between Prime Ministers Modi and Boris Johnson?
These were just some of the burning questions that attendees from all over the world posted into the chatbox as India Inc. hosted another high-profile edition of its Global Dialogue Series with Dr S. Jaishankar, India’s External Affairs Minister.
In an exclusive and candid, hour-long discussion with Chairman & CEO, of IndiaInc, Manoj Ladwa, Dr Jaishankar tackled the tough questions facing India and the world today.
Here are some of the key take-aways:
- On India’s Covid-19 crisis, Dr Jaishankar stated, “That with the benefit of hindsight, it is easy to say we shouldn’t have allowed gatherings of any kind. But there are times when we need to pull up our socks and put the blame game aside.”
- The Foreign Minister also praised India’s vaccine production, hailing the Made in India, Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine as a “truly international collaboration”.
- Dr Jaishankar admitted that the pandemic had laid bare serious shortcomings in India’s healthcare infrastructure while arguing that it had been under invested for over 75 years. “This was one of the key reasons for Prime Minister Narendra Modi propagating the Ayushman Bharat initiative,” he countered.
- India’s Vaccine Maitri programme which garnered global recognition and praise has now come in for sharp criticism. Dr Jaishankar, however, pointed out that “this step of friendship and goodwill from India has now manifested into global solidarity towards it, in its hour of need.”
- On China, the Minister stated that he was open towards finding a resolution but cautioned that there must be de-escalation at the border. “We can’t have bloodshed on the border and expect good relations in other domains,” he said firmly.
- The Minister also emphasised the need for more manufacturing security in India, both economically and as part of health security, calling Atmanirbhar Bharat a part of “national security.”
- On India UK ties, Dr Jaishankar commented that the “two countries are at an ‘inflection point’ in their relations.”
- Movement of people has always been one of the core features in the India UK relationship. Towards this, the Minister highlighted the agreement he signed yesterday with the UK Home Secretary, Priti Patel that “would encourage more Indian talent to come to the UK and make visa processes easier.”
(Courtsy:Manoj Ladwa – Founder & CEO, India Inc. Group)
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The reply is lame. There is no justification for India to be caught so unprepared. Corona virus was already causing mayhem in Italy and China. Britain realised that it was only a question of time before it will invade these islands and began preparing for outbreak, while India exported billions, even gave away millions without a thought. It was a big mistake to allow Kumbh mella and State elections to go ahead, with millions attending political meetings. It seems PM Modi was concentrating on external affairs to raise India’s profile overseas, especially in Africa, perhaps competing with China. India gave away millions of doses to Nigeria, yet it was one of the first countries to ban India! No wonder BJP lost heavily in West Bengal and Kerala where it failed to capture even one seat! Lets hope BJP and PM has learnt its lesson and be wise in the future. After all BJP is the only political party who can help to preserve the unity of India.
It is good that the interview is published here and Manoj asked the very questions in the minds of the Indian diaspora in the UK. For most of us who watched the likes of BBC, the second wave of Covid news sounded like character assassination of PM Modiji, skewing the news, showing funeral pyres but hiding burials, concentrating on election rallies but not a word about protest crowds, etc. Even on World Service the host blatantly asked the questions about the Kumbh Mela crowds and election rallies. The western media has a narrative against India and Modi and obviously it is not working