Meet the Minister of External Affairs of India, the Indian diplomat who earned high praise from Henry Kissinger
Dr. S. Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs of India, showcases excellent diplomatic prowess amid the intensifying power game in the world. At the India-US Summit in Washington D.C. held in April 2022, President Joe Biden said that energy imports from Russia were not in the interest of India. At the press conference following the talks, EAM said in response, "If you are looking at energy purchases from Russia, I would suggest that your attention should be focused on Europe... We do buy some energy. But I suspect, looking at the figures, probably our total purchases for the month would be less than what Europe does in an afternoon.”
Minister Jaishankar’s art of diplomacy earned praise from Henry Kissinger, the late political heavyweight in America, who highly regarded EAM for his ‘Kissinger-style’ diplomacy. Minister Jaishankar is never daunted by the (Western) powers, but rather asserts India's voice and makes it resonate with them. He came to Korea for a two-day visit from 05-06 March to attend the 10th Korea-India Joint Commission Meeting (JCM). In the written and in-person interview with Chosun Ilbo, Minister Jaishankar said ‘chips’ would be the most prominent area of cooperation with Korea in response when asked. India announced an ambitious initiative to emerge as the global semiconductor hub. He hoped for "greater cooperation between the two countries in the fields of green hydrogen, and electric mobility, as well as semiconductors”. Minister Jaishankar also stated, "India can be a ‘safe option’ for Korea’s economic and technology diversification.”
India’s talents can contribute to addressing Korea’s demographic challenges
India has become the most populous country in the world last year, surpassing China. On the contrary, Korea’s population is aging and shrinking constantly. As of last year, India’s median age stands at 28, drawing a stark contrast to Korea’s median age of 46. Minister Jaishankar said, "This is not just a question of young demography but of encouraging their skills and talent. In the last decade, the Modi Government has brought about a sea change in that regard.”
He added, "We have been building two colleges a day and almost a new university every week. We have the third largest startups in the world with 113 unicorns.”
Minister Jaishankar said that many OECD nations are keen to utilize India’s young talents through agreements. "Migration and mobility partnership is another area for cooperation as Indian talent can certainly help mitigate some of the demographic challenges facing Korea”, he added.
India, the confident ‘super elephant’
Minister Jaishankar was confident that India would be able to maintain the current trend of fast economic growth for the decades to come. "India is expected to become the third largest economy in the next few years and cross the USD 30 trillion level by 2047, the 100th anniversary of India’s independence from British rule. Goldman Sachs predicts that by 2075, India will be a USD 52.5 trillion economy”, he said. "We have made it much easier to do business in India and vastly transformed the infrastructure. There is a new India in the making and we will be an even stronger partner in times to come.”
He specifically mentioned the potential areas for cooperation with Korea. He stated, "Our shared interest in resilient supply chains and trusted digital products offers new opportunities. I see several areas where Indian and Korean businesses can tap into mutually beneficial collaboration,” and "These would include areas such as EV, secondary batteries, advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, electronics, green hydrogen, digital transformation, etc.” He also added, "Korean businesses should focus more on ‘Make in India’ programmes and look for partners”, and "We have had some successes in specific domains, including defence. These should be built upon further.”
Korea and India can go together in the period of ‘Amrit Kaal’
Minister Jaishankar, skillfully navigating the complex global challenges, expressed his stance on foreign relations. When asked about relations with China, strained by border disputes, he said, "India is the most populous country, the fifth largest economy and the seventh largest landmass,” and "We have our own side.” He also said, "If we seek a multi-polar world, we must also accept a multi-polar Asia.” In addition, he said, "The Global South has fallen victim to the current globalization which treats them only as resource providers and markets”, and "They seek a fairer global order and India stands firmly by their side.”
India will hold general elections in April-May this year. Minister Jaishankar said, "All the trends point to Prime Minister Modi winning a third term”, and "His bolder steps, including the initiative to become a developed nation by 2047, have been well-received.”
Prime Minister Modi puts a particular emphasis on ‘Amrit Kaal’, a Sanskrit phrase meaning the ‘golden period’ where India will have emerged as a developed nation. The year 2047, the target year of the Amrit Kaal, holds special significance for India as it marks the centennial anniversary of India’s independence from British rule. Minister Jaishankar stated that during this period, India will offer greater opportunities for South Korea as a trade partner, technology collaborator, and investor.
At the end of the interview, he added a few words to the Korean readers, saying, "As two democracies and two leading economies in the world, we need to engage each other even more closely than we have done so far. We are committed to tapping the immense opportunities inherent in this relationship. Let us work together to expand our cooperation in a future-oriented direction.”
Minister of External Affairs of India, Dr. S. Jaishankar
Dr. S. Jaishankar has served as the Minister of External Affairs of the Republic of India since 2019. He is a member of Parliament in the Upper House (Rajya Sabha). Minister Jaishankar has played an instrumental role in India’s ‘all-alignment’ strategy, strengthening strategic cooperation with the West, including the U.S., Europe, and Japan, while taking a neutral stance on Russia’s involvement in the Ukraine War.
Graph 1: GDP growth forecast of India, China, and the world
In 2021, India’s growth stands at 9.1%, China 8.4%, and the world 6.3%.
In 2028, India is projected to maintain a growth trajectory of 6.3%.
Graph 2: IMF’s GDP forecast comparison between Germany, Japan, and India
In 2028, India’s GDP is projected to reach USD 5.94 trillion, while those of Germany and the world stand at USD 5.46 trillion and USD 5.16 trillion, respectively.
Graph 3: Government of India’s long-term GDP forecast
The GDP is expected to soar from USD 1.22 trillion in 2008 to USD 30 trillion in 2047.