External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for India’s changed attitude at international fora, a reason for India finding its place at the high table of diplomacy. In an interview to a News agency he spoke on India taking up the voice of the Global South to G20. The minister said that no other presidency had aimed at getting developing countries together. Mr Jaishankar said that India has a special responsibility in this changing world scenario. The External Affairs minister said he hoped that the G20 nations would understand their responsibilities to other countries. He expressed confidence that every one of the G20 coming to Delhi will understand the responsibility that they bear.   Dr Jaishankar said that G20 is not the arena for power politics.

He refuted claims that New Delhi is leaning more towards Washington lately. Dr Jaishankar said, today India is identified as a democratic, pluralistic and developing country. He said, a lot of countries identify with India as a developing country, a lot of countries identify India as a democracy and many identify India as a pluralistic country. The Minister said, we see many  institutional cultural similarities, so different people in the world identify with us. He said, Diplomacy and international relations is a very competitive exercise. He said, but even in diplomacy, there are occasions when you are competitive there and occasions when you are cooperative. Dr Jaishankar said, G20 is very much a collaborative forum.

Speaking on the upcoming bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden, Jaishankar said that both countries would look forward to building up on the basis of a very strong State visit of PM Modi to the US.