External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday described India as a Vishwa Mitra’, or the world’s friend and a voice of the Global South. Speaking at the opening session of the 23rd Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) here as India assumed vice chairship for 2023-25, Jaishankar said, “Many of us here are members of the Global South and the focus that India has been able to bring through the G20 would surely be welcome to all of you.”
As the Vice Chair for the next two years, “India, the Vishwamitra, or the world’s friend, a voice of the global south, will work with IORA member states to strengthen the institutional, financial and legal framework of IORA towards realising the true potential of this dynamic grouping,” he said.
This is perhaps the first occasion when a high-ranking cabinet minister has
used Vishwa Mitra’ to
describe India instead of Vishwa Guru.’