Indians studying abroad helped in building strong ties across the world: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the quest for knowledge has always motivated Indian students to explore the world.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. (Photo credit: Twitter/ANI)

Emphasising the role of education and foreign students in the knowledge economy and international relations, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Friday (November 12) said that the yearning for better knowledge and education has always been a motivation for Indians to go abroad and contribute in the creation of better international relations for the country, reported ANI.

“The quest for education has also been a powerful incentive for Indians to go to other countries. More than a million Indian students study abroad and by doing so they have laid the basis for strong relationships across many geographies," said EAM Jaishankar while addressing "Diplomatic Conclave" on Higher Education organised by Chandigarh University via video conferencing

"This is complemented by a long tradition of foreign students studying in India - currently about 50,000 from 164 nations," he added.

Jaishankar further said that the present-day challenge is to reimagine this two-way interaction and make it work better for the world as a whole.

 "In a sense, the issues are much bigger than education or the economy. It is reflecting a larger global rebalancing whose cultural and human resource aspects are very central," he said.

He further added that a healthy exchange of diversified ideas, creativity and knowledge is an absolute necessity for a multipolar and democratic world.

 As a civilizational state, India has a particular interest in ensuring that the future takes into account the best from the past," the minister added. Furthermore, Jaishankar said the nature of power is changing just as is the global architecture.

"Countries will be increasingly defined by technology, innovation, ideas and talent. It should be their centrality that should be the subject of the greater discourse

 Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla also spoke at the conclave.

(With inputs from ANI)