Jaishankar Defends India's Democracy at Munich Security Conference

INIndia|

Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar engaged in a robust dialogue about democracy during a panel at the Munich Security Conference, emphasizing India's electoral successes. He responded to comments made by U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin, who stated that democracy "doesn't put food on your table." Jaishankar countered, stating that India's democratic framework supports nutrition programs for 800 million people, underscoring the relationship between governance and food security.

Jaishankar noted that Indian elections boast significant voter turnout, with around 700 million people participating in the last national elections. He asserted that democracy is not universally in crisis, as suggested by others in the discussion, and expressed optimism about democratic practices in India. He also pointed out that the West has historically viewed democracy as a Western value, which he believes undermines democratic aspirations in the Global South. Jaishankar urged the West to embrace successful democratic models from other regions to foster a more inclusive global dialogue on democracy and governance.

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