India is Strengthening Friendships across the Globe under PM Modi

Published By : Admin | March 19, 2019 | 14:00 IST

In 2014, when Narendra Modi was elected as the Prime Minister of the world’s largest democracy, the world watched in expectation as to how his foreign policy would be. He has brought a new vigour to India’s foreign policy, strengthening and renewing ties with old friends, while also making new friends across the globe.

For example, he has strengthened India’s ties with Israel, France, United Kingdom, Japan, United States of America, and South Korea, and also initiated and built relationships in West Asia (Iran, Saudi Arabia, Israel) and with New Zealand and Australia.

In light of the dynamic equations that countries share, it becomes important for nations to not only choose their friends with care, but also sustainrelationships in view of events that have a butterfly effect across the globe. PM Narendra Modi has struck the fine balance of continuing relations as well as cultivating fresh ties, which will prove strategically significant in the medium and long-term. The 21st century will be characterized by the proactive, ambitious and innovative diplomacy with the underlying theme of ‘India First’.

India’s agile diplomacy is marked with the policy of ‘Acting East’ and ‘Looking West’.

Strong Ties

  • India’s relationship with Iran went through a perceptible shift when the historic Chabahar Agreement was signed by the Prime Minister on his visit to Iran.
  • It was a new beginning when PM Narendra Modi was conferred Saudi Arabia's highest civilian honor, Sash of King Abdulaziz Sash. When the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visited India, he increased the quota for Indian Haj pilgrims to 2 lakh and agreed to release 850 prisoners lodged in Saudi jails.
  • When the Prime Minister visited Doha, Qatar in 2016, he pushed for economic ties in the hydrocarbon sector. Moreover, while he shared a meal with those working in Doha and addressed the NRIs at an event, he invigorated the diaspora with new lease of energy, assuring them India was there to care for them and their concerns.
  • India consented to the Ashgabat Agreement which is concerned with transit and transportation of goods between Central Asia and the Persian Gulf. This has helped India diversify its connectivity within the region.
  • PM Narendra Modi visited Australia for G20 Leaders' Summit at Brisbane in November 2014, followed by bilateral visit. When Prime Minister Turnbull visited India during April 2017, initiatives related to defence and strategic partnerships in the field of energy and education were discussed along with MoUs on cooperation in combating international terrorism and transnational organized crime. In January 2018, India became a part of Australia Group, an export control regime that aims to prevent proliferation of biological and chemical weapons.
  • Prime Minister of New ZealandJohn Key visited India in October 2016.India’s support for New Zealand’s campaign for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council was appreciated by him. Apart fromthe announcement on amendments to the bilateral Double Taxation Agreement, India and New Zealand agreed upon increased cooperation in defence and security.

Renewed Relations

  • The first ever visit of Indian prime minister to Israel brought freshvigour to the Indo-Israel relations. PM Narendra Modi’s trip to Israel was a watershed moment in India-Israel relations. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited India in 2018 and signed multiple MoUs in areas of space technology, cyber security, oil and gas production among others.
  • India signed the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) with The United States of America. At the 2+2 meet, India and the US signed the Communications, Compatibility Security Agreement (COMCASA). It enhancesIndia’s defence capability and preparedness.
  • PM Narendra Modi’s equation with the Russian President Vladimir Putin is of geo-strategic importance.India will soon begin inducting the first squadron of the advanced S-400 Triumf surface to air missile systems from Russia.
  • Relations with Palestine remained warm. PM Narendra Modi was conferred ‘Grand Collar of the State of Palestine' after his visit to Palestine.

After the cowardly terrorist attack in Pulwama and the subsequent air strikes by India, all major global leaders stood in solidarity with India. This was an evidence of the strength of India’s diplomatic initiative and the impact of PM Narendra Modi’s personal efforts to strengthen relations with the world. Time and again, he has gone out of his way to ensure India’s strategic interests with global peers are preserved. India’s soft power coupled with strong relationships across economic, defence and strategic domains has helped the country emerge as aforce to reckon with.

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PM Modi’s Vision Fuels Delhi’s Development
April 12, 2024

“Delhi has the good fortune to get an opportunity of keeping the flag of nations' prestige flying high.”
- PM Narendra Modi as Delhi prepared to host the G20 Summit

The last ten years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government have set in motion the creation of a New India—from rural to urban, from water to electricity, from houses to health, from education to employment, from castes to classes—a comprehensive plan bringing growth and prosperity to each doorstep.

The National Capital Territory of Delhi has emerged as a pivotal part of this dynamic developmental momentum spearheaded by PM Modi throughout this transformative decade.

The city has been at the heart of the infrastructural shift that has given a dedicated facelift to the entire nation. Today infrastructural marvels like Atal Setu, Chenab Bridge, Statue of Unity, and Zojila Tunnel dot India’s ever-evolving landscape.

With its focus on revamping transportation networks, upgrading urban amenities, and expanding digital infrastructure, the Modi government has launched an array of transformative initiatives. From railways, highways to airports, these initiatives have been key in galvanising inclusive and sustainable development across the length and breadth of the country.

The impressive expansion of the metro rail network has revolutionised urban commuting in India. From a mere 5 cities in 2014, the metro rail network now serves 21 cities across the nation—expanding from 248 km in 2014 to 945 km by 2024, with 919 km of lines under construction in 26 additional cities.

The Union Cabinet has recently approved two new corridors of Delhi Metro Phase-IV—Lajpat Nagar to Saket G-Block and Inderlok to Indraprastha. Both the lines have a combined length of over 20 kms with a project cost of over Rs. 8,000 crore (funding being sourced from the Union Govt, Govt of Delhi, and international agencies). The Inderlok- Indraprastha line will play a significant role in enhancing connectivity to the Bahadurgarh region of Haryana. Additionally, India’s first Namo Bharat train, operating on the Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridor further underlines the Modi government’s commitment to enhancing regional connectivity and upgrading its transportation infrastructure.

Further, the Bharatmala Pariyojana envisages improved logistics efficiency and connectivity via the development of nearly 35,000 km of National Highway corridors. 25 greenfield high-speed corridors have been planned under the plan out of which four intersect with Delhi’s growing infra capacity: Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway, Delhi-Saharanpur-Dehradun Expressway, and the Urban Extension Road-II. The total project length sanctioned for Delhi is 203 km with an allocation of over Rs. 18,000 crore.

Over the past decade, the Modi government has consistently dedicated efforts towards augmenting capacity and decongestion of airports. After the IGI Airport Delhi became the first airport in the country to have four runways and an elevated taxiway, the expanded state-of-the-art Terminal 1 has also been inaugurated recently. In addition, the upcoming Noida International Airport (Jewar) shall further contribute to decongestion of the Delhi airport which is serving millions of passengers annually.

Besides, the inauguration of the New Parliament has further added civilisational yet modern connotations to the city’s landscape. Inauguration of the Yashobhoomi (India International Convention & Expo Centre) has given Delhi India’s largest convention and exhibition centre, offering a mixed purpose tourism experience. Along with Yashobhoomi, the Bharat Mandapam, a world-class convention and exhibition centre, showcases India to the world.

In terms of welfare, the Modi government has launched several schemes benefitting people hitherto on the margins of growth and development. Women’s safety in Delhi has been a key concern. To address the same, the Modi government strengthened the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013 by increasing the quantum of punishment for rape, including capital punishment for rape of a girlchild below the age of 12.

The Union Home Ministry established a separate Women Safety Division back in 2018. One-stop centers, Sakhi Niwas, Safe City Project, Nirbhaya Fund, SHe-Box, Investigation Tracking System for Sexual Offences, and Cri-MAC (Crime Multi-Agency Center) among others are significant additions in the government’s campaign towards women safety.

In addition, Swachh Bharat Mission, PM Ujjwala Yojana, PM Matru Vandana Yojana, and Beti Bachao Beti Padhao have further led to the empowerment of Nari Shakti in India.

As India becomes the 3rd largest startup ecosystem in the world, Delhi is also contributing significantly towards this development. Today over 13,000 DPIIT-recognised startups are functioning in Delhi even as the government is promoting self-employment through PM MUDRA Yojana with over 2.3 lakh loans sanctioned worth over Rs. 3,000 crore for FY2023-24 (as on 26.01.2024).

PM SVANidhi, which provides collateral free loans to street vendors, is supporting over 1.67 lakh beneficiaries in Delhi. Further, under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana, launched in 2020 to incentivise employers for creation of new employment and restoration of loss of employment during Covid-19 pandemic, over 2.2 lakh employees benefitted in Delhi.

Further, nearly 30,000 houses have been sanctioned and completed in Delhi under PM Awas Yojana (Urban).

Air pollution has been a recurring problem for the people of Delhi. Conscious of this reality, the central government has launched the National Clean Air Programme as a national level strategy to reduce air pollution level across the country.

The Modi government's tenure over the last decade has brought about a remarkable transformation in Delhi across various fronts. From infrastructure development to governance reforms, from education to employment, the government's initiatives have left an indelible mark on the capital city. As Delhi continues on its journey of progress and development, the contributions of the Modi government are set to shape its future trajectory for years to come.