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Union Minister of State for External Affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh, highlighted India's ongoing efforts to strengthen regional cooperation, sports diplomacy, and connectivity across Asia.
He was addressing the 3rd Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) Summit in Doha, Qatar on Thursday. In his remarks, Singh lauded Qatar for hosting the summit and emphasised India's commitment to contributing to peace, stability, and prosperity within the ACD framework. "It is a matter of great pleasure for me and my delegation to be in the beautiful city of Doha. I congratulate the State of Qatar for the grand organisation of the 3rd ACD Summit and also for the warm hospitality extended to our delegation," Singh stated, acknowledging Qatar's role as the host nation. Singh also welcomed the new ACD Secretary General, Ambassador Nasser Thamer Al-Mutairi, and expressed India's appreciation for the work done by Bahrain and Iran during their chairships. "We welcome the fruitful dialogues and outcomes during the chairship of the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Islamic Republic of Iran from 2021-23 and 2023-24. We eagerly look forward to further developments in the ACD under the chairmanship of the Kingdom of Thailand in 2025," he added. Highlighting the significance of sports diplomacy, which was a central theme of the summit, Singh praised Qatar for its leadership in promoting global unity through sports. "The theme of 'Sports Diplomacy' for this summit is indeed timely and significant. Sports has always served as a powerful medium to transcend borders, unite cultures, and foster international cooperation," the MoS further said. He cited Qatar's successful hosting of major events, including FIFA 2022 and the Asian Football Championship 2024, and reaffirmed India's own commitment to promoting inclusivity through sports. "India embodies the same spirit of cooperation and collaboration while hosting global sporting events. Our various national programmes are aimed to provide inclusivity and equal opportunity to our youth at the community level," Singh said. Referring to Doha Declaration and its focus on several key areas of cooperation, including connectivity, innovation, and education, he said, "India highly values the importance of connectivity as a driver of growth and cooperation. We have taken various initiatives for enhancing rail, road and shipping linkages both nationally and regionally." "India has extensively supported connectivity projects in the Global South, based on the priorities of the recipient countries. We are also focused on enhancing digital connectivity as it plays a transformational role in socio-economic development and innovation. It is also important that sovereignty and territorial integrity are fully respected in connectivity projects," he added. Regarding science and technology, the Union MoS emphasised India's leadership in developing digital public infrastructure, offering it as a model for other countries. "Science, technology and innovation are key drivers for economic growth and development, especially for the Global South. India's digital public infrastructure is open source and interoperable, and we are ready to share it for the global good." Singh also praised India's National Education Policy 2020 and the importance of education in developing a competitive workforce. "We agree with ACD's objectives on education and human resource development, which are vital for developing a competitive workforce and knowledge-based economies." He further addressed the issue of food and energy security, stating, "In recent years, the world has understood the importance of creating resilient supply chains for ensuring food and energy security. Qatar and other Gulf countries are important partners of India in these fields. We look forward to working with all ACD countries for enhancing food and energy security in the Asian region." Singh stressed the importance of people-to-people connections through culture and tourism, saying, "Culture and tourism are a driving force in building people-to-people connect. India's vibrant culture and ancient heritage attract tourists from all over the world. Our ethos is that of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbkam' i.e., the world is one family in which cultural interactions and tourism play a vital role for peaceful co-existence." Addressing climate change, Singh reaffirmed India's commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2070 and highlighted several initiatives, including the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI). He also praised Prime Minister Modi's initiative, Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE), which encourages the mindful utilisation of resources to protect the environment. In his concluding remarks, Singh reiterated India's full support for the ACD's objectives and called for reforms in the global decision-making processes, particularly in the United Nations Security Council. "Lastly, we would like to stress the importance of strengthening and reforming the multilateral system to effectively face contemporary challenges. It is imperative to collectively demonstrate sincerity in regard to reforming global decision-making, including that of the UN Security Council." India's active engagement in the Asia Cooperation Dialogue continues to underscore its commitment to fostering regional cooperation across a wide range of sectors, from sports diplomacy to connectivity and climate action. (ANI)
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