Bhubaneswar: The hosting of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in Odisha is reflective of Modi Sarkar’s Purvodaya policy, said External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar while highlighting the external impact of Odisha during his opening remarks of the 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas on Thursday
He said, “The famous Bali Yatra is a precursor of what is today’s government of India’s act East policy. When we define ourselves as an Indo-Pacific nation, we do so from the eastern seaboard of Odisha. This gathering should inspire you to nurture more strongly the heritage, traditions, and identity.”
The Union Minister highlighted the importance of diaspora in nation-building, noted government’s achievements for providing a safety net for them and how the diaspora can become an anchor to bring in developmental opportunities for India.
Speaking about the event, Jaishankar said, “This function is like a family reunion; Indians living abroad are able to see and experience for themselves the progress and development taking place in their country”, he added that Indians are also proud of the success and achievements of the diaspora.
Speaking about the importance of the diaspora, Jaishankar said, “In a globalised era, the diaspora only becomes more important with each passing year. Whether it is technology, best practices or resources. Be it tourism, trade or investment, the two-way flows you enable are invaluable.”
Jaishankar noted that despite the global upheavals, the message that the diaspora will carry forward and take away from the convention, “Is of a Bharat which is more confident, modernising and inclusive, where tradition and technology go hand in hand, where the journey towards Viksit Bharat is ongoing and each one of you in your own way can make a difference to the realisation of that goal.”
