New Delhi: As 2011 draws to an end, External Affairs Minister S M Krishna today said efforts were made in the year gone-by to give "more content" and "dynamism" to India`s relations with its immediate and extended neighborhood.
The Minister noted that the year began on a "high note" for the country with its return to the powerful United Nations Security Council as a non-permanent member after a gap of 19 years. "We have played an active and constructive role at the august body befitting the standing of India as a fast, emerging and major economy and the largest democracy in the world," he said at a luncheon meeting with journalists. He also lauded India`s Permanent Representative to the UN Hardeep Puri, who was present, for his "crucial role" along with other officials of the Ministry in this regard.
"We have focused strongly in the course of the year on adding more content and dynamism to our relations with our immediate and extended neighborhood," Krishna said without mentioning any country by name. In this regard, Krishna noted Prime Minister Manmohan Singh`s bilateral visits to Bangladesh, Kabul and the Maldives during the course of the year. "Our efforts are yielding dividends," Krishna said and added that India`s relations with its key "neighbors to our west and east continue to acquire greater depth". He said that he had met all his counterparts from SAARC countries, including Pakistan this year. Krishna also expressed "great satisfaction" at the Second India-Africa Forum Summit at Addis Ababa in May which strongly underlined mutual commitment to elevate our age-old ties to a higher level. "We are indeed privileged to be partners in Africa`s development and progress," he said. He said India will host the BRICS Summit in the capital in March, 2012 and the India-ASEAN Commemorative Summit in December next year. PTI