External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday highlighted that India’s approach to problem-solving has transformed under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, emphasising that the nation’s mantra for progress is rooted in “technology and tradition”.
Speaking at the three-day Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (January 8-10) in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, Jaishankar highlighted the pivotal role of Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) in introducing best practices to help India achieve its potential. “We need to introduce best practices that are absolutely essential if India is to attain this potential, and that is where NRIs can make a difference,” he said.
Approximately 6,000 members of the global Indian diaspora are participating in the biennial event.
Jaishankar noted that the Prime Minister often prioritises trade, technology and tourism as benchmarks for foreign policy. He urged the Indian diaspora to promote India as a global tourism destination, adding, “We are well on the way to addressing longstanding challenges to build a modern, inclusive and progressive society.”
Citing India’s “Look East” foreign policy, the minister remarked that its historical roots could be traced back to Odisha through the “Bali Yatra”, which symbolises the region’s ancient maritime connections with Southeast Asia.
On the role of technology in a digital world, Jaishankar pointed out the growing importance of trusted talent. “In the digital era, countries, people and organisations want to know where the data is, who is processing it and who is harvesting it. Technology deployment is increasingly linked to trusted talent,” he explained.
He also lauded Modi’s transformative mindset, quoting badminton star PV Sindhu, who described the Prime Minister’s attitude as shifting the nation from “Chalta hai” (business as usual) to “badal sakta hai” (things can change), and finally to “hoga kaise nahin” (why can’t it be done).
Jaishankar described nation-building as a “very complex task” but noted that it becomes achievable when there is confidence that “nothing is beyond us”. He credited this spirit for driving India’s achievements in recent years.
Reflecting on India’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, he said, “When confronted by the pandemic, India demonstrated remarkable resilience and a strong recovery. The very country predicted to go under ended up supplying vaccines and medicines to the entire world.”
He also spotlighted India’s achievements in the space sector, mentioning the Chandrayaan-3 landing, the Aditya L1 observatory and the proposed Gaganyaan mission, calling them “powerful inspirations”.
On India’s rapid digitisation, Jaishankar highlighted the scale of UPI transactions as a testament to the nation’s infrastructure and progressive mindset. He further praised India’s innovation ecosystem, which includes over 90,000 startups and more than 100 unicorns. “Initiatives like Drone Didi, Atal Tinkering Labs, hackathons, the Green Hydrogen Mission and nano fertilisers are the calling cards of a new India,” he added.
