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Economic Times
20-07-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
Progress in India enabled by dual strategy of strong safety nets, reforms that foster growth: NITI Aayog VC
India's progress across various Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has been enabled by a dual strategy that encompasses strong safety nets and reforms that foster growth through a more enabling environment, Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog Suman Bery has said. Bery pointed out that 240 million Indians escaped from multi-dimensional poverty in the decade between 2013-14 and 2022-23, and social protection coverage has more than doubled since 2015. India is on track to achieve health targets for maternal, child and infant mortality before 2030, the target year of the SDGs, he said."Our progress in India has been enabled by a dual strategy - strong safety nets to protect the most vulnerable and reforms that foster growth through a more enabling environment and ease of doing business, making India the fastest growing major economy today," Bery delivered the keynote address at a high-level side event titled 'SDGs: Keeping up the Momentum for Agenda 2030' hosted on Friday by the Permanent Mission of India to the UN in collaboration with NITI Aayog on the sidelines of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF). On climate action, India has achieved a landmark in its energy transition journey by reaching 50 per cent of its installed electricity capacity from non-fossil fuel sources-five years ahead of the target set under its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to the Paris Agreement. Bery noted that these achievements are indicative of the fact that India has put in place a delivery mechanism to deliver on international commitments."India takes those international commitments seriously," he added that development in a democracy is a political act and "we have been guided by the intellectual and indicator framework of the SDGs, but by the same token, the programs have to be homegrown, and they are homegrown." "There is a pleasing confluence of the agenda of inclusive growth of India and the agenda the world came together to endorse at that fleeting moment in 2015 when we had unanimity, both at the SDGs" and at the Paris climate agreement, he also highlighted India's efforts to localise SDGs through state-level indicator frameworks and active community participation. He showcased India's pioneering work in building world-class Digital Public Infrastructure, promoting financial inclusion, and enabling data-driven governance as transformative tools for sustainable development. Addressing the event, Assistant Secretary-General and Regional Director Asia Pacific at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Kanni Wignaraja said that the UN agency's experience in India demonstrates that SDG localisation is even more highly contextual than originally thought. SDG localisation is "a very dynamic process and shaped by how people interact quite differently with policies and institutions that keep up with their needs and their choices", she its experience of working in India on SDG localisation, the UNDP noted a mix of factors that contribute to achieving the goals factors include robust data, clarity of roles and expectations, alignment of policy with practice between levels of government, a private sector that leans in behind a locally-led agenda and "most importantly, a large enough number of motivated people, both nationally and locally, who actually make it happen", she that India has recorded the second fastest progress on the global SDG index among G20 countries, Wignaraja termed it as "quite an achievement." Wignaraja also termed India's digital public infrastructure as a "game changer", saying that the unified payments interface (UPI) is now the world's largest real-time payment system. "India's digital stack is now being adopted by many countries and, the support by India to South-South cooperation is very, very welcomed," she said. On climate action, Wignaraja noted that while energy transitions take time, India continues to prove that growth and sustainability can go hand-in-hand, investing in clean energy, green jobs and innovation for the future. "UNDP is proud to continue its work alongside India's effort, including through enhanced innovations and South-South exchanges," she his opening remarks, Permanent Representative of India to the UN Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish reaffirmed India's strong commitment to the 2030 highlighted India's integrated approach to sustainable development, which combines the convergence of flagship programs, SDG localisation, advances in digital infrastructure, and proactive climate action and the valuable lessons that can be learnt from India's experience. The event also featured presentations from international partners sharing their national experiences, including experts from Mexico, Indonesia and Ethiopia.
India Today
16-07-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Accountability for attacks on Peacekeepers is a strategic necessity: India at UN
India has once again made a strong appeal for justice in cases where crimes are committed against United Nations peacekeepers. At a high-level meeting of the Group of Friends (GoF) for Accountability for Crimes Against Peacekeepers, held at the UN Headquarters in New York on Tuesday, India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador P Harish, stressed that justice for peacekeepers is not just important — it is a strategic Nations peacekeepers face tremendous obstacles while working in increasingly dangerous areas. But for the most part, these crimes continue to go unpunished. This lack of accountability severely undermines international peace efforts by giving assailants more confidence," Ambassador Harish said, "Therefore, accountability is a strategic necessity. In addition to being required by law, ensuring responsibility for crimes against UN personnel is essential to the integrity and efficacy of international peacekeeping efforts." According to Harish, when justice is served, it helps boost the safety and morale of peacekeepers, enabling them to do their work more effectively. "Peacekeepers' safety is directly improved by justice, allowing them to carry out their vital missions. It is our common duty to fulfil this obligation," he added. GLOBAL COMMUNITY SHOWS SUPPORT FOR PEACEKEEPERSThe meeting was co-chaired by India and other key nations. The Permanent Mission of India to the UN said in a statement, "It also underscored the critical imperative to combat impunity for attacks against peacekeepers, emphasising that accountability is not merely a matter of justice for individuals but a basis for the effectiveness, credibility, and future of UN Peace Operations worldwide."Around 40 member states took part in the meeting, along with senior UN officials and field experts. They discussed ways to strengthen cooperation and improve laws and strategies that will help catch and punish those who attack UN peacekeepers. The discussions pointed to rising dangers faced by peacekeepers in conflict zones and how the failure to act only encourages more statement further noted that the discussions were focused on creating a more complete strategy. This includes both punishments for the guilty and preventative actions to stop such crimes from happening in the first place. "A holistic approach is required, involving not only punitive measures but also preventative strategies, alongside unwavering political will from all stakeholders," it LEGACY IN UN PEACEKEEPINGIndia has long been one of the biggest contributors to UN peacekeeping forces. In fact, India has sent over 300,000 peacekeepers to serve in various UN missions across the world over the past 70 years. Many of these peacekeepers have served bravely in dangerous areas and made great Permanent Mission of India highlighted this service, saying, "Indian peacekeepers have served with distinction and courage in virtually every major UN mission, enduring significant sacrifices, with 182 Indian peacekeepers having made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty."The Group of Friends for Accountability of Crimes Against Peacekeepers was formally launched in December 2022 during India's presidency of the UN Security Council. This group builds on the work of UN Security Council Resolution 2589, passed in 2021, which specifically aimed to improve accountability for crimes against peacekeepers.- EndsWith inputs from ANIMust Watch
Asia News Network
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Asia News Network
Time to call out state-sponsored terrorism: Indian EAM's ‘veiled attack' on Pakistan at UN
NEW DELHI – In a veiled attack on Pakistan, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said when terrorism is supported by a state against a neighbour then it is imperative to call it out publicly. Jaishankar was speaking at an exhibition on 'The Human Cost of Terrorism' organised by the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations. The external affairs minister, on Monday (US local time), inaugurated the exhibition at the United Nations and brought to attention how terrorism is a grave threat to humanity and how it must be dealt with an iron fist, with the world coming together and standing against issues such as impunity to terrorists and not yielding to nuclear blackmail. 'Terrorism is one of the gravest threats to humanity. It is the antithesis of everything that the UN stands for – human rights, rules and norms, and how nations should conduct their dealings with each other. When terrorism is supported by a State against a neighbour, when it is fuelled by the bigotry of extremism, when it drives a whole host of illegal activities, it is imperative to call it out publicly. And one way of doing so is to display the havoc that it has wreaked on global society,' the external affairs minister said. At the exhibition, Jaishankar recalled how the United Nations Security Council had issued a strong condemnation of the dastardly Pahalgam terror attack, which took place on April 22 in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. In response, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7. 'Five weeks ago, the United Nations Security Council issued a strong condemnation of a particularly horrific act of terrorism in Pahalgam. It demanded that its perpetrators be held accountable and brought to justice. We have since seen that happen,' he said. 'What that response underlines is a larger message of zero tolerance for terrorism. The world must come together on some basic concepts: no impunity to terrorists, no treating them as proxies and no yielding to nuclear blackmail,' he added. 'Any state sponsorship must be exposed and must be countered. By now, we know well that terrorism anywhere is a threat to peace everywhere. Let that understanding guide our collective thinking and response. This exhibition is a fitting reminder of the challenge before us,' Jaishankar said. 'This exhibition is a modest yet resolute effort to give voice to those who can no longer speak. A tribute to those who were taken away from us. And a remembrance to lives shattered by the scourge of terrorism,' he added. He said, 'By our gathering, we express solidarity with the families and loved ones of the victims of terrorism. Their pain is a stark reminder of the urgency of our shared responsibility to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.' The external affairs minister is on a visit to the US at the invitation of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to participate in the QUAD Foreign Ministers' Meeting, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), said in an official statement. Last week on Thursday (US local time), during the US State Department's briefing, the Principal Deputy Spokesperson for the US Department of State Tommy Pigott had said regarding the meeting that the summit would build on the momentum to 'advance a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific.' The QUAD is a diplomatic partnership between Australia, India, Japan, and the United States committed to supporting an open, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific that is inclusive and resilient. The QUAD's origins date back to our collaboration in response to the December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.
The Hindu
01-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Pahalgam attack was act of economic warfare, says External Affairs Minister Jaishankar
The Pahalgam terror attack was an act of economic warfare meant to destroy tourism in Kashmir, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said, asserting that India has made it clear that it will not allow nuclear blackmail to prevent it from responding to terror emanating from Pakistan. India has had a string of terrorist attacks over the years emanating from Pakistan and in the wake of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, there was a sentiment in the country that 'enough is enough,' Mr. Jaishankar said on Monday (June 30, 3035). His remarks came during a conversation with Newsweek CEO Dev Pragad hosted at the publication's headquarters at One World Trade Centre near the 9/11 Memorial in Manhattan. Mr. Jaishankar said that the Pahalgam attack 'was an act of economic warfare. It was meant to destroy tourism in Kashmir, which was the mainstay of the economy. It was also meant to provoke religious violence because people were asked to identify their faith before they were killed.' 'So we decided that we cannot let terrorists function with impunity. The idea that they are on that side of the border, and that, therefore, sort of prevents retribution, I think, that's a proposition that needs to be challenged and that is what we did,' he said. Mr. Jaishankar is on an official visit to the U.S. and will travel to Washington DC to participate in the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting on Tuesday (July 1, 2025). He commenced his visit by inaugurating an exhibition in the U.N. Headquarters titled 'The Human Cost of Terrorism', organised by the Permanent Mission of India to the UN. He said that the terrorists based in Pakistan carrying out attacks against India do not operate in secret and these are terrorist organisations who have the 'equivalent of their corporate headquarters in the populated towns of Pakistan." "Everybody knows what is the headquarters of organisation A and organisation B and those are the buildings, the headquarters that India destroyed' in Operation Sindoor, he said. Operation Sindoor was launched to target terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians and for which The Resistance Front (TRF), a front for Pakistan-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) had claimed responsibility. "We are very clear there will be no impunity for terrorists, that we will not deal with them any longer as proxies and spare the government which supports and finances and in many ways, motivates them. We will not allow nuclear blackmail to prevent us from responding,' he said. Mr. Jaishankar added that 'we've also heard this for too long' that both India and Pakistan are nuclear countries and 'therefore the other guy will come and do horrible things, but you mustn't do anything because it gets the world worried. 'Now we are not going to fall for that. If he is going to come and do things, we are going to go there and also hit the people who did this. So no yielding to nuclear blackmail, no impunity to terrorists, no more free pass that they are proxies. And we will do what we have to do to defend our people,' Jaishankar said amid applause from the audience. Referring to the exhibition at the U.N. highlighting the devastating toll of terrorist attacks across the globe, including those perpetrated by Pakistan-based terror entities, Jaishankar said India believes that 'terrorism is actually a threat to everyone, that no country should use it as an instrument to further its policies because, at the end of the day, it comes back to bite everyone.' He stressed that the message to the world has to be that there should be zero tolerance for terrorism, that there should be no circumstances, no excuse, no justification under which a country would allow, support, finance or sponsor terrorist acts. He said India has been dealing with terrorism emanating from Pakistan for several decades but it actually started from the time of the country's independence in 1947 when within a few months, terrorists were sent into Kashmir and were described as proxies and tribal invaders. 'And then soon enough, the Pakistani Army followed. So we have battled terrorism, really intensive, for the last four decades and we've had some horrific cases,' he said, as he referred to the 2001 Parliament and 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. During a Q&A session that followed the conversation, Mr. Jaishankar was asked about President Donald Trump's claim that he used trade to stop the recent conflict between India and Pakistan and whether that has affected trade negotiations between Delhi and Washington. 'No, I don't think so. I think the trade people are doing what the trade people should be doing, which is negotiate with numbers and lines and products and do their trade-offs. I think they are very professional and very, very focused about it,' Mr. Jaishankar said. He said that there is a national consensus in India that 'our dealings with Pakistan are bilateral. 'And in this particular case, I can tell you that I was in the room when Vice President (JD) Vance spoke to Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi on the night of May 9, saying that the Pakistanis would launch a very massive assault on India if we did not accept certain things. 'And the Prime Minister was impervious to what the Pakistanis were threatening to do. On the contrary, he indicated that there would be a response from us. This was the night before and the Pakistanis did attack us massively that night, we responded very quickly thereafter,' Mr. Jaishankar said. "And the next morning, Mr (Secretary of State Marco) Rubio called me up and said the Pakistanis were ready to talk. So I can only tell you from my personal experience what happened. The rest I leave to you," he said.
United News of India
30-06-2025
- Politics
- United News of India
No impunity to terrorists, no treating them as proxies, no yielding to nuclear blackmail: EAM Jaishankar
New York/New Delhi, June 30 (UNI) Terming terrorism as one of the gravest threats to humanity, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar today said the world must come together on some basic concepts: no impunity to terrorists, no treating them as proxies and no yielding to nuclear blackmail. Addressing the gathering at the exhibition on "The Human Cost of Terrorism', organized by the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations, he also said that any state sponsorship must be exposed and must be countered. He said the exhibition is a modest yet resolute effort to give voice to those who can no longer speak. 'A tribute to those who were taken away from us. And a remembrance to lives shattered by the scourge of terrorism.' 'By our gathering, we express solidarity with the families and loved ones of the victims of terrorism. Their pain is a stark reminder of the urgency of our shared responsibility to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.''Today's exhibition is not merely a presentation of images, videos and testimonies. It is a statement of our shared humanity; it is a gallery of human courage. Each moment, each memory, each artifact and every word tells the story of a life - interrupted, altered, or lost. These are the tales of ordinary men and women, from across the world.'Here at the United Nations, we must not just remember and honor, but commit ourselves anew - to act, to protect, and to uphold those very values and human rights that terrorism seeks to destroy,' he added. 'Terrorism is one of the gravest threats to humanity. It is the antithesis of everything that the UN stands for – human rights, rules and norms, and how nations should conduct their dealings with each other. 'When terrorism is supported by a State against a neighbour, when it is fuelled by the bigotry of extremism, when it drives a whole host of illegal activities, it is imperative to call it out publicly. And one way of doing so is to display the havoc that it has wreaked on global society,' he said in oblique reference to said that the United Nations Security Council had five weeks ago issued a strong condemnation of the April 22 horrific act of terrorism in Pahalgam. It demanded that its perpetrators be held accountable and brought to justice. 'We have since seen that happen,' in reference to the Operation Sindoor strikes carried out by India on terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir. 'What that response underlines is a larger message of zero tolerance for terrorism. The world must come together on some basic concepts: no impunity to terrorists, no treating them as proxies and no yielding to nuclear blackmail. Any state sponsorship must be exposed and must be countered. By now, we know well that terrorism anywhere is a threat to peace everywhere. Let that understanding guide our collective thinking and response. This exhibition is a fitting reminder of that,' he RN
