Tokyo: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday exuded confidence that India will have a stable government for 15 years, even longer, as he highlighted how long-term political stability helps a government make “bold” decisions.
Jaishankar, speaking at the Nikkei Forum on India-Japan Special Strategic Partnership here, said a reformist and visionary leadership backed by a strong political mandate, which in a democracy means having a majority in Parliament, results in “bold decision making”.
The minister’s comments were in response to a question about political stability in India and whether the upcoming elections will affect India’s foreign policy.
India in May this year heads for crucial general elections with more than 950 million citizens gearing up to exercise their right to choose the government.
“Hundred per cent we will have 15 years of stable government. It could even be that of 20 years or longer,” Jaishankar said in response to the question.
“Every country, every society is different so what can apply to India need not always be the same for other countries. But our own experience was that the lack of stability in politics or not having a majority in the Parliament to take bold decisions makes a very big difference,” he said.
“If you have a reformist, a leadership with a vision, with a commitment and that leadership is backed by a very strong political mandate and a strong political mandate in democracies means having a majority in the parliament, then it leads to bold decisions. That is really what is the combination unit. In other cases, you have a majority but you don’t have a vision, or you have a vision, but you don’t have the political support. So you need both. What has happened in our cases, certainly for the last 10 years we’ve had and we hope to continue that. So you know, in many cases, we have seen decisions which were debated for years, but suddenly you found the ability to do it,” he said.