PM Modi brought glory to entire nation, has guts to challenge Trump: Sushma Swaraj

Sushma Swaraj said in the Rajya Sabha that "patience is key to resolving problems" because of patience is lost, there can be provocation on the other side.

NEW DELHI: Speaking on the foreign policy in Rajya Sabha, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Thursday said India is no longer a mute spectator but it's now setting the global agenda. Hailing the Prime Minister on successful bilateral relation with countries across the world, Sushma said Narendra Modi has the guts to challenge US President Donald Trump.  On Doklam issue, Sushma said the border stand-off with China cannot be resolved through a war but can be settled through bilateral talks. Sushma Swaraj said in the Rajya Sabha that "patience is key to resolving problems" because of patience is lost, there can be provocation on the other side. "We will keep patience to resolve the issue," she said referring to the Dokalam stand-off issue with China. "We will keep engaging with China to resolve the dispute," Swaraj said replying to a discussion on "India s foreign policy and engagement with strategic partners" during which members voiced concern over the stand-off and raised questions over India's policy. In response to questions, she said military readiness is always there as the military is meant to fight wars. "But war cannot resolve problems. So wisdom is to resolve diplomatically," the external affairs minister asserted. She expressed confidence that the issue can be resolved through bilateral talks. She also hit out at Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi for meeting Chinese Ambassador Luo Zhaohui last month, amid the Doklam border stand off instead of trying to understand the situation from the Indian government. "I was very saddened that the opposition instead of considering the point of view of the Indian government, went and met the Chinese Ambassador. "They did not try to understand the situation (the border standoff) from the Indian government, instead approached the Chinese counterpart to get their point of view," said Sushma Swaraj, replying to a discussion in the Rajya Sabha on foreign policy. The Chinese Embassy in New Delhi had posted on its website about the July 8 meeting between Gandhi and Luo, but later withdrew it. On foreign policy of the NDA government, Sushma said Jawaharlal Nehru, first Prime Minister, earned respect at an individual level while PM Modi has brought glory for entire India. In a series of posers to the Congress, she said, "Hambantota's first phase was started in 2008. Whose government was there at that time? The first phase got completed in 2011. Whose government was then? Gwadar happened during whose government? "Today, you are expressing concern. Why did you not express concerns in 2011 or 2013? You are the ones who gave birth to all these concerns. These concerns were born during your time. We only secured Hambantota. We addressed concern that arose during your time," she said. Asserting that India under the Modi government has been helpful and reaching out to its neighbours, she gave examples. When water crisis hit maldives, India sent a plane carrying water within 90 minutes after she got the first call at 7 in the morning, Swaraj said. She said when there was an earthquake in Nepal, India was the first responder, besides helping in Sri Lanka floods. She said India committed one billion US dollars for the DONER conference, even though they were looking at China. Blasting the Congress for saying that India's relations with its neighbours had deteriorated, she said that for 17 years, no Indian PM had visited Nepal which included the UPA tenure. Tauntingly, she said, "When no Indian Prime Minister goes to Nepal, then the relations are good? But when Indian Prime Minister goes twice, then relations are bad?," On the blockade with Nepal about two years back, she said such a situation had been seen even during Rajiv Gandhi's tenure. She if Bangladesh and bhutan had best ties with anyone, it was India. (With inputs from agencies)