With Atmanirbhar Bharat, India seeks to utilize its mammoth workforce and innovative skills in leveraging India’s global position

India has always been in the forefront of global cooperation and played a vital role in helping other countries during the COVID-19 pandemic, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said on Monday.

“True to its spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, India has always been in the forefront when it comes to global cooperation. India played a pivotal role in the supply of essential medicines, test kits, protection gears to over 150 countries while addressing domestic shortages of essential commodities like PPE kits, masks etc,” Muraleedharan said.

Speaking at the launch of International Affairs Policy and International Curriculum of Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), he added that by pushing towards becoming self-reliant i.e. Atmanirbhar Bharat, India seeks to utilize its mammoth workforce and innovative skills in leveraging India’s global position and emerge as one of the global leaders.

Noting that the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has presented unprecedented challenges to countries across the world, especially to the poor, farmers, small and micro-businesses and migrant labourers, Muraleedharan said that India through, an extremely well managed strategy and timely intervention, has become a country with one of the lowest caseloads and low death rates.

Cautioning that the idea of self-reliance or Atmanirbharta does not mean seeking self-centered arrangements or turning the country inwards, the Minister explained that Atmanirbhar Bharat strives to ensure India’s positioning as the nerve centre of the global supply chains.

He recounted that through self-sufficiency, the union government intends to contribute towards mitigating disruptions in global supply chains by enhancing availability of products where the country has capacity and build capacities where we have potential to do so.

Outlining that the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi has announced AtmaNirbhar Bharat Packages with total financial impact of Rs. 27.1 lakh crores i.e. more than 13 percent of the country’s GDP, Muraleedharan held that the AtmaNirbhar Packages have accelerated the country’s pace of structural reforms.

The Minister of State for External Affairs commended the Union Budget, saying it had infused new confidence amid the difficulties and is based on the ground rule of Saving Lives and Livelihoods amidst the pandemic. The budget has encompassed all the aspects to fast-track economic recovery.

Pointing out that the International Affairs Policy and the International Curriculum envisions to position ICAI as a highly valued accountancy body globally, he said that it is a step in the right direction to enhance ICAI’s global presence and recognition.