“Because we are becoming bigger, because we are doing better, because our progress in many ways will shape the rest of the world, the rest of the world is also trying to influence it in different ways,” Jaishankar said during an interaction with students at Hansraj College in Delhi on Tuesday.
“They don’t have to be governments to be influencing it. Often, these are done by media,” the foreign minister said.
"I think we should be aware of it. We should accept that these are the realities of a globalized world. We should prepare ourselves for it,” stated the Indian foreign minister.
"We respond to these when we have to. And we ignore these at other times," remarked Jaishankar.
India Didn't Hide Oil Purchases from Russia, Unlike Other Countries: Jaishankar
“Many European countries told us not to buy oil from Russia. We were under pressure," Jaishankar said, adding that New Delhi told the western countries that buying Russian crude was in the interest of the Indian consumer.
"Countries where the average annual per capita income is $50,000 were not ready to stop energy supplies from Russia. Because these countries realised that this would create big problems for their citizens. But they are telling us, a country where the annual income is around $2,500, 20 times less, to sacrifice ourselves in their place," Jaishankar remarked.
I told them, look, do you think it’s ethical for you to ask us to do this, so that a poor Indian whose life depends on the cost of gasoline sacrifices himself?” Jaishankar stated.