Articulating the principles of Indian foreign policy, President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday said India wants to be a rule framer in a multi-polar world. In a lecture delivered during his ongoing trip to Greece, the President said New Delhi wishes to create a rules-based world order that will not differentiate between “good” and “bad” terrorism.
The speech highlighted India’s commitment to multi-polarity weeks after Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented the concept of “strategic autonomy” in his speech at the Shangri La Dialogue in Singapore on 1 June.
President Ram Nath Kovind in a speech at the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy in Athens said, “India is committed to an international order marked by robust, rules-based multilateral institutions; by multi-polarity in international governance; and by investment and connectivity projects that are viable, sustainable.”
Echoing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks at the recent Shangri La Dialogue in Singapore calling for “strategic autonomy”, President Kovind’s emphasis upon maintaining multilateral commitments indicates that India is keen to maintain a non-aligned attitude towards major power blocks in the world.
Pro-globalisation
The President, who is visiting Greece as part of his ongoing three-nation tour, said the interconnections that marked the era of globalisation have come under stress in recent years but urged Europe to join hands with India which is a “responsible power”, to preserve globalisation. “As a responsible power, India seeks to be a rule framer and rule custodian,” he said.
President Kovind’s speech highlighted the syncretic connections between the European and Indian traditions of art, politics and state formation and described Greece and India are “sister civilisations” who have been part of the large family of humanity as exemplified in the Indian notion of “ Vasudhaiva kutumbakam ”.
President Kovind’s speech in Greece coincided with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj’s ongoing visit to Europe.
