‘Practise what you preach’ Jaishankar to West over global democracy

 

 

 

 

EXTERNAL Affairs Minister S Jaishankar took a dig at the Western countries for treating democracy as a “Western characteristic”, accusing them of not practising abroad what they valued at home. Jaishankar made these remarks on Friday at a panel discussion titled “Live to Vote Another Day: Fortifying Democratic Resilience” at the Munich Security Conference. He also said that “if you do want democracy eventually to prevail, it’s important the West also embraces successful models (democracy) outside the West.”

 

“There was a time — I have to say this in all honesty — when the West treated democracy as a Western characteristic and was busy encouraging nondemocratic forces in the Global South. It still does. Everything you value at home, you don’t practice abroad.” “So, I do think the rest of the Global South will view the successes, shortcomings and the responses of other countries,” he said. He also said India, for “all the challenges that we have had, even at a low income, we have stayed true to the democratic model, which is almost if you look at our part of the world. We are pretty much the only country that has done that.” “So I think it’s something the West should look at, because if you do want democracy eventually to prevail, it’s important 

 

 

EXTERNAL Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said since India is a democratic society, it is able to give nutrition support and food to 800 million people. Speaking on Friday at a panel discussion titled ‘Live to Vote Another Day: Fortifying Democratic Resilience’ at the Munich Security Conference, Jaishankar made these remarks as a counter to US Senator Elissa Slotkin’s remark that democracy “doesn’t put the West also embraces successful models outside the West,” he said at the conference. “Started the #MSC2025 with a panel on ‘Live to Vote Another Day: Fortifying Democratic Resilience’. Joined PM @jonasgahrstore, @ElissaSlotkin and @trzaskowski_. Highlighted India as a democracy that delivers. Differed with the prevailing political pessimism. Spoke my mind on foreign interference,” he posted on X. Apart from Jaishankar, the panel comprised Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, US Senator Elissa Slotkin and Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowsk. Jaishankar also said that India gives nutrition support to 800 million people thus countering US Senator Elissa Slotkin’s remark that democracy “doesn’t put food on the table”. “Senator, you said that democracy doesn’t put food on your table. Actually, in my part of the world, it (democracy) does. Today, since we are a democratic society, we give nutrition support, and food to 800 million people. That is a matter of how healthy they are and how full their stomachs are. So, the point I want to make is that different parts of the world are going through different conversations. Please do not assume that this is a kind of universal phenomenon, it is not,” he said. “There are parts where it is working well. Maybe there are parts where it’s not and the parts which are not. I think people need to have honest conversations about why it’s not,” the External Affairs Minister said. JAISHANKAR HOLDS BILATERAL MEETINGS WITH COUNTERPARTS IN MUNICH: EAM Jaishankar on Saturday met his counterparts from Austria, Romania, Denmark, Mongolia, Argentina and discussed cooperation in trade, mobility and challenges in security architecture. Jaishankar also met the Norwegian Finance Minister on the margins of the Munich Security Conference 2025 here. He participated in a panel discussion on ‘Live to Vote Another Day: Fortifying Democratic Resilience’ with Norway Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, US Senator Elissa Slotkin, and Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski.