Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited seven countries in the first 100 days of the government’s third term, according to the Ministry of External Affairs. The Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance scored a third consecutive term at the Centre this year after it bagged 293 seats in the Lok Sabha elections.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the G7 Leaders' Outreach meeting in Italy at the invitation of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, marking his first state visit after taking oath for the third term. This was first multilateral visit.
His first bilateral visit was to Russia which was quickly followed up by a visit to Ukraine. During these visits, which were seen as India playing the role of a mediator in the Russia-Ukraine War even as Modi held bilateral talks with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Other significant official visits by PM Modi was to Austria, Poland, Singapore and Brunei. India also witnessed state visits by Prime Ministers of Vietnam and Malaysia during the first 100 days of the government.
The Ministry also noted President Droupadi Murmu also undertook visits to Fiji, New Zealand, and Timor-Leste.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar — who retained the Ministry of External Affairs in the third term — participated in the SCO meet in Kazakhstan, the ASEAN-India Foreign Minister's Meeting at Lao PDR, and the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Japan in the first 100 days. He also hosted the 2nd BIMSTEC Foreign Ministers Retreat in New Delhi and the 3rd Voice of Global South Summit.
Besides, he undertook extensive diplomatic missions to the UAE, Sri Lanka, Kazakhstan, Mauritius, Maldives, Kuwait, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, and Germany.
Keeping on with the effort to strengthen its diplomatic presence, the MEA opened five new Indian missions in Albania, Gabon, Georgia, Latvia, and Timor-Leste.
Two Indian Consulates were also opened in Auckland and Barcelona.
Maritime Cooperation
Under the Prime Minister's “Security and Growth for All in the Region” (SAGAR) vision, India continued strengthening maritime cooperation by holding maritime security Dialogues with Australia and Vietnam.
The establishment of strategic initiatives included the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Sri Lanka, the re-launching of the ferry service between India and Sri Lanka and the handing over of PS Zoroaster vessel to Seychelles after refit in India.
Renewable Energy
India further cemented its leadership in the renewable energy sector by signing the International Solar Alliance Agreement with Bolivia, Dominican Republic, and Costa Rica.
Health Cooperation
On the health front, India signed a Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation at the Drug Regulator Level with Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, and Suriname. MoUs were also signed with Nicaragua and Suriname in recognition of Indian Pharmacopoeia.
India pursued healthcare capacity building by procuring haemodialysis units to supply to Pacific Island countries.
Digital Payments Infrastructure
Maintaining its foothold on the digital payments infrastructure, India inked the INDIA STACK MoU with Colombia, Cuba, and several Caribbean nations. A license agreement was signed between the Central Bank of Peru and NPCI International Payments Limited.
Cultural Diplomacy
India's soft power diplomacy marked a new milestone with PM Modi inaugurating the 46th World Heritage Committee session. India's nomination of the Charaideo Moidam, the burial ground of the Ahom Dynasty in Assam made its way to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Hosting the first International Yoga Conference in Africa and renewal of the MoU on ICCR on Sanskrit and Indian Philosophy in Mauritius also marked India's extension in cultural diplomacy.
Diaspora Engagement
To facilitate diaspora engagement and services, MEA said that e-passport pilot projects are underway in Bhubaneswar and Nagpur. A Labour Mobility Agreement was also signed by India with Malaysia for the ease of labour migration.