India’s foreign policy is geared around two fundamental objectives of national security and prosperity, Union Minister of State for External Affairs MJ Akbar said here on Thursday.

Building bridges

The economic partnerships and relationships that the country is building are clearly the most important inter-connectivity bridges, he said in his inaugural address at the national conference on ‘70 Years of India’s Foreign Policy’ organised by the Jadavpur Association of International Relations.

“We must be the only country that has friendships across binaries,” he added.

‘No vested interests’

According to Akbar, nations globally now know that India neither has vested interests nor is it intrusive or expansionist. “We understand that the best form of prosperity is shared prosperity. The first sharing is internal. The second sharing is with partners across the world,” he said.

“We will talk peace only when the environment is peaceful. We will never be blackmailed. It is an extremely powerful message.”

Glass ceilings

“There is a great surge that is taking place under the present Prime Minister, who is breaking glass ceilings. But, the trouble is there are very strong vested interests who want to retain those glass ceilings,” Akbar said.

Citing tax compliance as one such glass ceiling, the Minister said that only an “honest society” could work towards poverty alleviation.

“Where will you get the resources for poverty alleviation without an honest society in which we all participate?” he asked.

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