No.PR-96
September 28, 2018
New Delhi
SAARC NOT TAKEN 0FF BECAUSE OF ONE NATION, BIMSTEC EVOLVING INSTEAD, GEN. SINGH AT PHD CHAMBER 113TH ANNUAL SESSION
Union Minister of State for External Affairs, Gen. V K Singh on Friday asserted that ‘SAARC has not taken off because of one nation’ as couple of nations within SAARC do not synergize with it because of its support to terror.
The Minister, however, exuded confidence that BIMSTEC is better evolving within the region and emphasized that India’s foreign policy relations with its neighbours are healthier and sustaining for better.
Addressing the members of PHD Chamber at the 113th Annual Session here today. Gen. Singh informed that India would continue to engage with China on boundary related issues and pointed out that both India and China have been engaging with each other even in the recent past on major economical interventions. “We cannot remain in isolation with China”, said Gen. Singh.
“India’s relations with Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar have transformed ever since the new government came to power under the leadership of Prime Minister, Mr. Modi and that India’s relations with these countries have strengthen much more then it used to be in the past regime”, said Gen. Singh.
Elaborating on the issue of SAARC as raised by PHD Chamber, President, Mr. Anil Khaitan, Gen. Singh concurred saying that progress evaded growth of SAARC despite its secretariat in place purely on account of one-nation without naming the nation and further stated that even couple of other nations within the SAARC ambits do not see eye to eye with it.
He, however, expressed happiness that BIMSTEC is doing fairly well and hoped it would evolve as intended.
INC Spokesperson, Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi in his valedictory address praised the initiative of the PHD Chamber in serving its constituents as also engaging with government in a seamless manner, however, pointed out adding that India has progressed quite well and clocked an appreciative rate of growth in host of areas with automobile, telecom, consumer durable in particular.
India, however, needs to further enhance its dream and its spectrum so that growth becomes more inclusive, broad based and widened and emerge a still better economy all over the world with sufficient employment scope in its all economic engagements.
President, PHD Chamber, Mr. Anil Khaitan and its Sr. Vice President, Mr. Rajeev Talwar in their respective remarks emphasized that growth needed to be further broad based and expanded so that purchasing power, demand and consumption proportionately go in tandem for a win win situation.
Ends.
Koteshwar Prasad Dobhal
Consultant (PR)