External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar described the foreign policy under ''Captain'' Modi using the cricket analogy, explaining how the government functions. Mr Jaishankar was speaking at Raisina Dialogue, the flagship think-tank event organised by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The foreign minister also made a reference to blockbuster film 'RRR' while describing the relations between India and the UK. Former UK PM Tony Blair and former England cricket player Kevin Peterson also shared the dais with him during the event.
"With Captain (PM) Modi the net practice starts 6 in the morning and goes on till fairly late," Mr Jaishankar said when asked to explain the functioning of the government.
He further said that if a captain has a bowler who can perform, he will give him the ball.
''I think in that sense, captain Modi does give his bowlers a certain amount of freedom. He expects you to take that wicket if he gives you the chance to do it. But I would also say some of it is watching the difficult decisions being taken. The decision to lockdown was a very tough decision, it has to be taken. If we now look back, what would have happened if we had not taken that decision?" he said.
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The foreign minister then highlighted the rising interest in India's foreign policy.
"It is because world is in a difficult place, more people are getting interested in the world. The second reason is globalisation of India. Like a cricket team, we don't want to win matches only at home but abroad as well," he said.
With Mr Blair present, the discussion then moved to India becoming a bigger economy than Britain and dominating cricket too.
"I'd call it rebalancing. It is the history which is switch-hitting, it's hitting the other way... India today is in a very unusual position, once more decisively upwardly mobile which lot of other civilisational states aren't in a position to do," said Mr Jaishankar.
"The most popular film in India last year was 'RRR', it has to do with the British era... The fact is when you such complex history, there would a downside to it, there would be suspicions, unresolved problems," he added.
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