Gandhinagar: Highlighting the accomplishments of Indian diplomacy, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar asserted that New Delhi has effectively cultivated relationships with multiple and often competing powers, calling it a "significant" milestone.

Speaking at the 3rd convocation of Rashtriya Raksha University in Lavad, Gandhinagar, Jaishankar emphasized that geopolitical considerations often revolve around identifying reliable partners during challenging times.

He said, "It has been a significant achievement of Indian diplomacy that we have been successful in forging relationships with multiple and often competing powers."

Highlighting the positive impact of overall national development since 2014 that has addressed the shortcomings in the security domain, Jaishankar said,"Strenous efforts have been made, especially in the last decade, to correct the shortcomings of the previous ones. The overall development of our national strengths that we have seen since 2014 has clearly had positive repercussions in the security field, whether it is internal, external or at the border."

"There are some basic components of these capabilities that all of us are familiar with. How to acquire and develop weapons and development-related capabilities has not only been at the core of our business policies but even of our diplomacy. Indeed, a large part of our geoplotical calculations rest on which nations are reliable partners during times of stress," he added.

The External Affairs Minister affirmed that the security factor is embedded "deeply" into India's strategy and diplomacy while engaging with a competitive world.

"We embed the security factor deeply into our strategy and into our diplomacy when we engage a competitive world. The magnitude of what we seek naturally reflects growing interest, greater aspirations and, infact the nature of warfare... What would we consider relevant to national security itself has a very much broader definition," the EAM said.

"We have long been conversant with the concept of dual technology, which was extended even more to encapsulate critical and emerging technologies," he added.

Jaishankar had earlier said that India is now seen as a "credible and effective development partner."

Jaishankar highlighted India's transformation into a "credible and effective development partner," with a development portfolio spanning 78 nations.

"In our travel abroad, I am glad to report that we are now seen as a credible and effective development partner. Our development partnership portfolio now spans 78 countries and the hallmark of these projects is that they are demand-driven, transparent, empowerment-oriented, environment friendly and rely on a consultative approach," Jaishankar underlined.

The Minister emphasized India's role in promoting digital public infrastructure and sharing digital governance best practices, especially with the Global South.

"We have also been spearheading the promotion of digital public infrastructure and sharing best practices in digital governance, especially with the Global South," he added.

EAM Jaishankar stressed that international affairs have become "unprecedented and complex." He noted that India's people-centric policy is guided by the demands and aspirations of society as well as "India speaks as the voice of peace, security and prosperity for all".

"At a time when international affairs have become unprecedented and complex, our people-centric foreign policy is guided by the demands and aspirations of our society. Today, the world recognizes that when India speaks, it speaks not only for itself, but for many others," Jaishankar had said.

"And that India speaks as the voice of peace, security, and a prosperity for all. While serving as a force for global good and stability, we have also vigorously defended our national interests," he added.