'Practice abroad what you preach at home': Jaishankar to West on democracy

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar took a dig at Western countries treating democracy as a 'Western characteristic'. Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Jaishankar suggested these nations should practise abroad what they preach at home.

"There was a time — I have to say this in all honesty — when the West treated democracy as a Western characteristic and was busy encouraging non-democratic forces in the Global South. It still does. Everything you value at home, you don’t practice abroad," he said, at a panel titled 'Live to Vote Another Day: Fortifying Democratic Resilience.'

He also said that "if you do want democracy eventually to prevail, it's important the West also embraces successful models (democracy) outside the West."

Jaishankar added, "So, I do think the rest of the Global South will view the successes, shortcomings and the responses of other countries," continuing to say that "all the challenges that we have had, even at a low income, we have stayed true to the democratic model, which is almost if you look at our part of the world. We are pretty much the only country that has done that."

"So I think it's something the West should look at, because if you do want democracy eventually to prevail, it's important the West also embraces successful models outside the West," Jaishankar concluded.

He also shared a post on X saying he 'spoke his mind' at the conference.

The panel also comprised Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, US Senator Elissa Slotkin and Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowsk.

The EAM also countered US Senator Elissa Slotkin's remark that democracy "doesn't put food on the table" stating that India gave nutrition support to 800 million.

"Senator, you said that democracy doesn't put food on your table. Actually, in my part of the world, it (democracy) does. Today, since we are a democratic society, we give nutrition support, and food to 800 million people. That is a matter of how healthy they are and how full their stomachs are. So, the point I want to make is that different parts of the world are going through different conversations. Please do not assume that this is a kind of universal phenomenon, it is not," he said, adding, "There are parts where it is working well. Maybe there are parts where it's not and the parts which are not. I think people need to have honest conversations about why it's not."

"But I would argue that to an extent, as someone dispassionately viewing it, a lot of it is an accumulated problem of the model of globalisation that we have followed for the last 25-30 years. I think a lot of chickens have come home to roost. So, yes there are issues, but from our point of view, let's not make that universal," Jaishankar also said.

(With agency inputs)