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We Continuously Saying For Peace on LAC: India Replies China For Congratulating Modi

  • By Thetripurapost Web Desk, New Delhi
  • Jun 09, 2024
  • 44

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will become the Prime Minister of India for the third time today. Narendra Modi will take oath as Prime Minister at 7:15 pm at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Leaders of 7 neighboring countries of India have been invited to attend this ceremony.

The process of arrival of guests for the swearing-in ceremony has begun. Maldives President Mohammad Muizzu arrived in India for the first time on Sunday morning. Immediately after him, Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth also came to Delhi.

Meanwhile India on Saturday thanked China for congratulating Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his election victory and said efforts will continue to normalise bilateral ties based on "mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity". 

This statement by Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal came at a time when relations between India and China are in a cold state due to the border dispute on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. 

Jaiswal said all these things in response to the post of Chinese Foreign Minister congratulating the Prime Minister. 

Jaiswal, while replying to the post on social media, wrote, "Thank you for congratulating Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his election victory. We will continue to try to normalise India-China relations on the basis of mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity. India has been continuously saying that peace and stability on the LAC is important for normalising relations.

Guests  Arriving for  swearing-in ceremony 

Seychelles' Vice President Ahmed Afeef and Bangladesh's PM Sheikh Hasina had arrived in India a day earlier on Saturday afternoon. 

Apart from them, Sri Lanka's President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Nepal's PM Prachanda and Bhutan's PM Tshering Tobgay will attend the ceremony.

These countries have been invited to the ceremony under India's 'Neighborhood First' policy and 'Sagar' mission. 

Accommodation for the foreign guests has been arranged in the biggest hotels of Delhi. These include ITC Maurya, Taj Hotel, Oberoi, Claridges and Leela Hotel. 2500 jawans of the paramilitary and Delhi Armed Police (DAP) have been deployed for their security.

Apart from this, snipers and police force are also be present in the area. The route of the foreign leaders from the airport to the hotel and the venue will be monitored through drones. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had reached India on Saturday for this program. 

However, among all the foreign guests, the most attention will be on the visit of Maldives President Mohammad Muizzu.

While accepting the invitation to the swearing-in ceremony on Saturday, Muizzu had said, "It is an honour for me to be a part of this historic event. I will continue to work with PM Modi to take Maldives-India relations forward."

Actually, there has been tension between Maldives and India since Muizzu became President in November last year. During his election campaign, Muizzu gave the slogan 'India Out' to expel 88 Indian soldiers from Maldives. After becoming President, he first visited China, whereas usually the President of Maldives visits India first after assuming office.

Meanwhile, Maldives ministers also made controversial statements on PM Modi's Lakshadweep visit. Under the leadership of Muizzu, Maldives removed Indian soldiers from the country and also ended the hydrographic survey project with India.

The 'Neighborhood First' policy is the core part of India's foreign policy. Its blueprint was prepared in 2008. Even before coming to power in 2014, Modi had said that he would put neighboring countries at the top of his foreign policy. 

The purpose of the Neighborhood First Policy is to strengthen physical, digital, trade relations and people-to-people ties with India's neighboring countries.

According to ORF's report, the aim of the Neighbourhood First approach is to promote stability and development in the Indian subcontinent. According to foreign affairs experts, this policy was also introduced to counter China's growing influence in the region.

Under this policy, India had provided $4 billion assistance to Sri Lanka, which was facing financial crisis, in the year 2022. Apart from this, amid the Corona epidemic, India had given vaccines worth Rs 188 crore to Bangladesh and Rs 79 crore to Nepal.

Earlier, during his first swearing-in ceremony in 2014, PM Modi had invited the leaders of SAARC countries. Under this, then Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa attended the ceremony.

Apart from these, the House Speaker of Bangladesh attended the program in place of Sheikh Hasina. After this, PM Modi invited the leaders of BIMSTEC countries in the swearing-in ceremony held in 2019 for his second term. Leaders of Kyrgyzstan, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar participated in the ceremony.