PROGRESS
seven million-strong Indian diaspora, continue to remain as robust as ever.
the celebrations of the first International Day of Yoga. From Cairo to Chicago and Nagpur to New York, Tokyo to Moscow, Sao Paulo to Singapore, and Addis The journey continues Ababa to Tashkent, the celebrations were a reflection The second year of the NDA Government’s diplomacy of genuine global interest in this ancient practice of looks even more promising, and is rightfully focussing yoking mind and body. on regions pivotal to India’s rising global profile and Looking ahead, India’s quest for a permanent its core development priorities. Mr seat in the UN Security Council is Modi’s visit to all five Central Asian expected to get a renewed push at the The high point states in July – the first ever trip by 70th celebrations of the global body in in India’s an Indian leader – and the inclusion September this year. The high point in diplomatic of India as a member of the SCO India’s diplomatic calendar in 2015 will calendar will be has opened up new possibilities for be clearly the third India-Africa Forum the third Indiarevitalisation of multifaceted ties Summit which New Delhi will host in Africa Forum with this strategically located energyOctober. It will be a transformational Summit rich region. The launch of the New moment in India’s evolving relations with Development Bank, with an Indian the resurgent resource-rich continent as banker as its head, and India’s 10-point formula for India hosts the leaders of all 54 countries for the first the bolstering of BRICS, underlines India’s proactive time. Foreign Minister Ms Sushma Swaraj was not diplomacy which is looking to push the envelope in its exaggerating when she wrote presciently: “Expect quest for a more inclusive world order. The flowering India’s Transformational Diplomacy to acquire more of India’s soft power, found a global reaffirmation at traction and resonance in months and years to come.”
Mr Narendra Modi taking oath as 15th Prime Minister of India at the Rashtrapati Bhavan INDIA PERSPECTIVES
n
42
n
S EPT EM B ER- OC T O BE R
2 0 1 5