India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar (file photo)
Nicosia: External Affairs minister S Jaishankar in Cyprus said that India is seen as a strong economy and a country that contributes to solving the world's problems. "We are seen as a country that is independent and has the courage to stand up when it has to stand up. We have the ability to get people around the table at one time."
He was speaking to the Indian diaspora in Cyprus. On his first official visit to Cyprus, he spoke of India's G20 Presidency and said the world has a lot of expectations from India. And the country will handle the Presidency in a way to make the world understand and appreciate the diversity of the country even more.
The union minister said Indians who live abroad can see "a changed India" when they visit after a gap of three or four years. "That era in India where people were left to look after themselves is today behind us and people living abroad must appreciate and understand that change."
Speaking about the pandemic, he said it had been a tough experience. "We have not just dealt with Covid but come out of the pandemic with a better health system, better delivery system, better social-digital delivery, with a safety net, whether its financial or food support."
He further said that the country did economic reforms in various sectors and the big ones included the banking system, changing credit policy, support to the service sector, small and medium-scale business, labour reforms, and education reforms.
"I want to tell you that today going around the world, I am not just representing a stronger country, a bigger economy, an influential polity, but also a nation that cares for its citizen, that will do whatever it has to do to protect them, which will look at their interest when they live abroad, prepared to take up their interests in difficult circumstances. It's essential to maintain and grow your credibility as a country that counts in the international order," said the minister.