President releases book on PM's speeches on foreign policy

A book compiling select speeches of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on foreign policy during 2014 and 2015 was released today by President Pranab Mukherjee, who said the speeches have done well to lay out India's economic strategy and foreign policy with style and substance.

The President, who has written foreword of the book, formally released it on the concluding day of the three-day Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention here, the Centre's outreach programme for overseas Indians.

The Ministry of External Affairs compiled the select speeches of Modi which outline the strength of India's bilateral relationships with individual countries such as the US, Russia, Australia, UK but also India's broader approaches to a new and invigorated foreign policy.

From Prime Minister's very first speech abroad, his addresses to the Parliament of Bhutan at Thimphu, to the UN General Assembly, at Nazarbayev University, Astana, the Digital India Event at San Francisco, and the address to the India-Africa Forum Summit, the speeches signify both the strength and durability of India's foreign partnerships, the MEA said.

In his foreword, Mukherjee says, "The speeches are a window to the Government's vision and strategy for India's engagement with the world... they have done well to lay out India's economic strategy and foreign policy- with style and substance."

In his address at the event, Mukherjee said,"his (Modi's) speeches tell the story of the emerging India, an India which is moving ahead, leaving behind the baggage of history and looking at the world with optimism."