A ROBUST YEAR

In 2024, the world in unison acknowledged India’s role as a growth engine, an innovator in the technological sphere and a leader in sustainability. In the last article of the article of the year, let’s focus on India’s position and how global leaders, industry honchos and organisations have heaped praise on the country’s achievements.

Appreciating PM Modi’s leadership in digital public infra and transforming rural economy, Bill Gates had said, “This idea of digital connections that starts with Aadhaar and the bank accounts that you manage digitally, that’s flourishing. And so, we see in agriculture now that they are registering the farmers and giving them advance notice. And so Indian leadership is something other countries should benefit from.” “India is the fastest growing major economy in the world in 2023, this growth is set to continue under the strong leadership of PM Modi,” Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Chairman DP World, said praising India’s growth under PM Modi. Expressing his hopes on India’s growth trajectory, Borge Brende, President, WEF, said, “India has been at the forefront due to the digital economy and the export of services. This is a very sweet spot for India. India is growing very fast. There’s a lot of interest in India.

” Elaborating on how impressed by PM Modi’s ‘Make in India’ initiative for “strengthening India’s position globally”, President Putin said, “In all the sectors of the Russian Federation, including in high-tech ones, there is an acute need to expand the opportunities to sell and export their products. I know that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a similar program made in India, and this is a very similar program to ours, and we would be ready to place our manufacturing sites in India also.” “If you look at the fundamentals like demographics, easing inflation, spending power, export, service sector, a lot of things are going strong for India,” said Ling Hai, president, International Markets at Mastercard. “The United States’ partnership with India is stronger, closer, and more dynamic than any time in history. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, each time we sit down, I’m struck by our ability to find new areas of cooperation.

Today was no different,” said Joe Biden. Indian Diplomacy French President attended Republic Day functions: French President was the chief guest at India’s 75th Republic Day celebrations. Qatar Released 8 Indian Navy Veterans: This followed direct communication between PM Modi and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, leading to a Qatari court commuting the death sentences to prison terms ranging from three to 25 years. The release of the veterans came just a day ahead of Prime Minister Modi’s February 13-14 visit to the UAE to inaugurate the country’s first Hindu temple, BAPS Mandir, in Abu Dhabi. Halting of Ravi Water To Pakistan: India completed the Shahpur Kandi Barrage on the Ravi River, effectively halting excess water flow to Pakistan.

India-China Agreement On LAC: After a four-year military standoff, India and China reached a pivotal agreement this year to disengage and resume patrolling in the Depsang Plains and Demchok areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), restoring the pre-May 2020 status quo. Peacemaker In Ukraine: India has emerged as a potential peacemaker in the RussiaUkraine war. G7 Meeting in Italy: PM Modi was invited to the G7 even before winning the 2024 general elections, and it was the first global forum he attended after his victory. Rescue/Humanitarian Operations: India launched Operation Indravati to evacuate its nationals from Haiti to the Dominican Republic. India launched Operation Sadbhav to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) to Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam. On December 10, 2024, India successfully evacuated 75 nationals from Syria.

India-Middle East Corridor: In February 2024, India and the UAE signed the first formal agreement on the development of the IMEC corridor. Chabahar Port: The development of Chabahar Port is viewed as a strategic counter to China’s influence in the region, particularly concerning Pakistan’s Gwadar Port. On May 13, 2024, India Ports Global Limited (IPGL) signed a long-term contract with Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) for the development and operation of the Shahid Beheshti Terminal at Chabahar Port.

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE AUTHOR ARE PERSONAL

Robin Roy, The writer is Senior Journalist and former Managing Editor, First India