NEW YORK, Sept 9: India stands for friendship, goodwill and cooperation, Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakashi Lekhi has said, stressing that the country believes in working for the well-being of mankind and not causing disruption.
Lekhi, who is here on an official visit, addressed members of the Indian-American community and diaspora at a community reception hosted at the Consulate General of India in New York on Wednesday.
In her address, she said members of the Indian diaspora are innovators, engineers and have “contributed to the well-being of your adopted nation”.
“That is the positivity of India which Indians bring together. The fact is that we tend to assimilate ourselves in the societies we live in. We believe in working for the well being of mankind and not cause disruption, which several other people do. India is for peaceful purposes, India is for the progress of mankind, India stands truly for Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam and that message is carried on by all of you,” she said.
“While India is innovating, India is trying to help the world and help itself and that is what ‘Atmanirbharta’ and self-sustenance is all about,” she said.
The world is awakening to the threats of many kinds and India has emphasised that “peaceful use of science and technology, rather than weaponisation is the way forward,” she said.
She voiced gratitude for the efforts of the Indian diaspora, who she said are the “ambassadors of India”, who through their achievements and contributions have brought “a good name to Mother India. We are very, very proud and grateful to all that you stand for.”
As India marks 75 years of its independence, Lekhi referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address to the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort in which he had said that India has to march ahead with new pledges for the next 25 years and that “we have to ensure we meet our goal of building Aatmanirbhar Bharat when we celebrate 100 years of India’s Independence.”
“India was not born 75 years ago… we are an ancient country, we are an ancient heritage,” Lekhi said.
Lekhi also expressed gratitude to all the scientists and innovators who were on the frontlines of combating the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I cannot thank you enough that when the world was battling pandemic and COVID-19, how the entire community across the globe stood together,” she said.
She added that from “Vaccine Maitri” to bringing Indians home from other countries to producing vaccines, “we have shown the world what India stands for.”
She noted that India launched its own “Atmanirbhar vaccine” in January 2021 and “many skeptics talked against the vaccine and the result was that second wave (of the pandemic) took its toll.
“But before the second wave could take its toll, because we were stable and we had fought the first wave well due to timely lockdown and other procedures, we were helping the countries which were going through difficult times.
“At the same time when the second wave hit us, because of people like you across the globe we were helped by several other countries who we stood for, and they stood for us,” she said.
“We stand for friendship, we stand for goodwill, we stand for cooperation,” she said.
Condoling the deaths of those who lost their lives due to COVID-19, she said vaccines are the only mantra which can save people.
“India is doing well because we could produce vaccines for ourselves and produce it for the world as well. Unfortunately as COVID-19 cases increased in India, it had to be ensured that the vaccines are available first to citizens of the country,” she said.
Lekhi added that whether it’s maritime security, situation on terrorism or Sustainable Development Goals, India will continue working on these issues.
In response to another question on her message for the diaspora, especially in the context of how they can contribute towards the post-pandemic recovery, Lekhi expressed gratitude to “our community members for their strong support and solidarity in the fight against COVID-19 in India.
“A very special aspect of our diaspora is that they are deeply connected with their motherland, even as they contribute to the enrichment of their adopted homeland. They continue to nourish and nurture their cultural values, traditions, art and heritage,” she said, adding that the Indian diaspora members are leaders in the fields of technology, science, finance, entrepreneurship, politics, academia and much more.
“We see our brothers and sisters spread across the world as an important partner in India’s growth and development,” Lekhi said.
She noted that India recently announced the National Infrastructure Pipeline and National Monetisation Plan and also launched the Production Linked Incentive Scheme to attract foreign investment in key sectors such as automobile and auto components, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, electronics, food processing, renewable energy, telecom, textiles.
Prime Minister Modi recently also announced an ambitious target for India to achieve exports worth USD 400 billion in 2021-22.
In addition to all these economic plans and targets, there have been a slew of transformative reforms in the fields of education, taxation, labour and agriculture.
“I urge our diaspora members to partner us in all these programmes to promote growth and development in India. In doing so, they will be contributing to building an Aatmanirbhar Bharat and at the same time helping the post-pandemic recovery of the global economy,” she said. (PTI)
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