New Delhi, May 21: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar rejected the criticism of India’s foreign policy and Ministry of External Affairs by former Congress President Rahul Gandhi, saying that today India talks with confidence.
The External Affairs Minister, at an event in London, sharply criticized Rahul Gandhi’s foreign policy remarks, saying that the Ministry of External Affairs is protecting national interests. The conduct of Indian diplomats is not arrogant but an expression of self-confidence.
Rahul Gandhi had said in his speech that many European diplomats had told him in conversation that Indian Foreign Ministry officials do not listen to them. Their behavior is arrogant. Rahul had also said that there is centralization of powers in the Modi government and officials only follow what was said from above.
In a tweet regarding the Congress leader’s statement, Jaishankar said, “It is true that the Indian Foreign Service has changed now. It is true that Indian diplomats follow the orders of the government. It is also true that they respond to other people’s arguments but this is not arrogance. This is called confidence. This is called safeguarding the national interest.”
In his speech, Rahul compared Russia’s military operation in Ukraine to the incursion of Chinese forces in Ladakh.
He had said that Russia and China had violated territorial integrity in Ukraine and Ladakh respectively.
On the Congress leader’s criticism of the Modi government by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken for human rights, Rahul said that America understands the situation.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has objected to Rahul Gandhi’s remarks.
