New Delhi [India], June 11 (ANI): NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Ashok Kumar Lahiri on Thursday said that India must continue focusing on development and human capital creation despite the ongoing crisis in West Asia, stressing that external challenges should not derail the country’s growth trajectory.
Speaking at a press briefing on the 11th Governing Council Meeting, Lahiri said India was playing its role in addressing the situation through diplomatic channels while continuing to pursue domestic development goals.
Lahiri said, “You can’t change the wind; you can only trim your sails. The West Asia crisis, India is playing its role, our foreign ministry is playing its role."
Emphasising the need to stay focused on long-term priorities, he noted that India remains the world’s fastest-growing major economy. He said, " But what we have to do as we are growing is that we are the fastest-growing major economies in the world. So what we are doing is we have to keep doing our homework and which is actually the development of human capital."
Lahiri underlined that the geopolitical developments due to the West Asia crisis should not halt India’s progress. He added, " Just because the West Asia crisis is there, we can’t be paralysed. We have to keep doing our work, and that was what was happening."
Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday reiterated India’s position on ensuring “unimpeded and safe navigation" through the Strait of Hormuz in accordance with international law amid the ongoing crises in West Asia, while expressing concern over the recent US strikes on three commercial vessels, with Indian seafarers aboard, hoping that the attacks would “come to an end" soon.
Addressing a special briefing on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to France and Slovakia, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that India had consistently advocated for the free and secure movement of vessels through the strategically significant Strait of Hormuz.
“We have stated our position in the Strait of Hormuz. We would like, we want, and we have urged that there be unimpeded and safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, keeping with international law. So that is our position. This is a topic which will come up for discussion, and we’ll put our points across," Jaiswal said.
Speaking on the US strikes on three foreign-flagged commercial vessels, carrying Indian seafarers and leading to the death of three, Jaiswal said India was closely monitoring the developments and hoped that the situation would de-escalate at the earliest.
“We are deeply concerned at these attacks and hope and expect these will come to an end," he added.
Earlier today, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that American forces had struck the Guinea-Bissau-flagged oil tanker MT Jalveer, carrying 20 Indian seafarers, in the Gulf of Oman, claiming that the ship had violated the US blockade against Iran in the region.
According to a statement issued by CENTCOM, the vessel attempted to transport Iranian oil and failed to comply with repeated directions from US forces and at around 11:20 pm ET on June 10, two Hellfire missiles were fired into the ship’s engine room to stop its movement.
“U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) acted against a Guinea-Bissau-flagged M/T Jalveer as it attempted to transport oil from Iran through the Gulf of Oman. A U.S. aircraft fired two Hellfire missiles into the ship’s engine room after the crew repeatedly failed to comply with directions from U.S. Forces," the statement read.
This marks the third commercial vessel attacked by US forces in the Gulf of Oman this week. Earlier, Palau-flagged vessels MT Marivex and MT Settebello were disabled on Monday and Tuesday, respectively, for attempting to transport Iranian oil. (ANI)
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