‘Petrol, Cooking Oil Prices Would be Much Higher…’: Jaishankar Explains Why A Good Foreign Policy Matters

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday said that having a strong foreign policy is vital for a country, and that it impacts our day to day life from the prices of petrol to iPhones.

Speaking at the National Institute of Technology in Delhi, Jaishankar said, “without a good foreign policy, the petrol price would be much higher, the cooking oil price would be too, and the price of your next iPhone will be higher too.”

Jaishankar also spoke about India’s position on the Russia-Ukraine war, saying that the interests of Indian citizens have to and must be prioritized in diplomatic relations with other nations.

He also highlighted how Russia’s engagement with the world has changed post the war, and how India plays a role in it.

“Russia’s main economic partner was the Western countries. After the Ukraine conflict, that way was closed. Russia is now turning more and more towards Asia. Our trade before the Ukraine conflict was about 12-14 billion dollars, our trade last year was 40 billion dollars,” he said.

Jaishankar said no country can progress without embracing technology and research and development.

The union minister was interacting with the he students of NIT Delhi as part of the BJP’s mega public outreach to mark nine years of the Narendra Modi government.

“Globalisation has broken down the boundaries between inside and outside and you should understand what is happening around you,” he said said, and urged young people to understand all this.

“Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, several changes have taken place in the last nine years,” he said.

Jaishankar also cited PM Modi’s recent visit to the US and said, “He has a different image, especially in the democratic world as a senior experienced and credible leader.”

“The ideas and decisions of Modi have an impact, he added.