PRESS RELEASES
THE PRESIDENT OF INDIA CALLS UPON HEADS OF MISSIONS TO PROJECT INDIA'S ECONOMIC STRENGTHS TO THE WORLD
Rashtrapati Bhavan : 14-09-2012
The President of India on Friday (September 14, 2012) called upon India's Ambassadors and High Commissioners to project to the world India's economic strengths and to send the message that there is absolutely no need to press any panic button.
Addressing delegates to the Fourth Conference of Heads of Missions, the President said that, though the economy is facing difficulties, the growth story of India is still unfolding and there was no need for any despondency.
The President said there is need to assess the momentous developments in the Arab world and how they will affect our bilateral agenda in the short and medium term with these countries. Pointing out that many of India's strategic partners such as Europe and the US are presently in a situation of deep economic crisis, he said our envoys should assess the direction in which these Governments are moving and advise our Government on the changes that our policy makers should anticipate in these countries.
Describing terrorism as the biggest challenge for India, the President called for stepping up coordination with other like-minded countries for taking preventive measures and improving surveillance. He further emphasized the need to take full care to ensure that Embassies and people who work in them as well as their families are as secure as possible. He stated that a challenge that looms large on our horizon is the situation that will obtain in Afghanistan and the region after the withdrawal of US and international forces. Pointing out that India cannot escape the adverse impact of the situation on our security, the President said India needs to devise pro-active strategy to deal with the situation.
The President called upon Envoys to build on the successes of the "Look East" policy through our bilateral and multilateral engagements with these countries. He also described the "Connect Central Asia" initiative as another promising new area of great opportunity for envoys in the region.
This release issued at 2055 hrs
