Multilateral forums key for advancing India's interests: Sushma Swaraj

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday stated that India's participation in multilateral and regional forums is key for advancing national interests.

"Multilateral and regional forums are key platforms for advancing our national interests. Prime Minister Modi's speech in United Nations General Assembly in Hindi was a matter of great national pride for India. His call for accelerating reforms of the United Nations Security Council has imparted urgency to our efforts and his call for declaration of International Day of Yoga in the United Nations has met with widespread support," Swaraj said, while speaking on the Prime Minister's recent visits abroad in the Lok Sabha.

"Prime Minister's strong belief in a shared future of our neighbourhood is reflected in several concrete steps - the participation of leaders from neighbouring countries at the swearing in ceremony on May 26; his choice of Bhutan as his first foreign destination; and his visit to Nepal, which was, sadly, the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister in 17 years to our closest neighbour," she added.

Speaking about the G-20 Summit, Swaraj said that Prime Minister Modi brought up the issue of black money and proposed a new global initiative on renewable energy.

"At the G20 Summit in Brisbane, where there was immense interest in India's economic reforms, Prime Minister put the spotlight on the need for collective international action against black money; gave innovative suggestions on promoting collective action for cost-effective and sustainable solutions to infrastructure in the developing world.

"He also proposed a new global initiative on renewable energy; and, cautioned against regional trade initiatives becoming instruments of political competition and fragmentation of the global trading system," she added.

Swaraj further said that Prime Minister Modi's interaction with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries saw a new level of enthusiasm between the participants.

"The ten-nation ASEAN is one of the world's largest economies, with the third largest population and the third fastest growing economy behind China and India. At the India-ASEAN Summit in Myanmar, there was a new level of enthusiasm and optimism among our ASEAN partners that a reformed and a reinvigorated Indian economy would provide a stronger foundation for a deeper partnership between India and ASEAN in the cause of peace, stability and prosperity in our shared region," she said.

"Prime Minister also took the opportunity of his visit to Nay Pyi Taw to pledge to Myanmar's leadership a stronger partnership with one of our most important neighbours," she added.

Swaraj also spoke of Prime Minister Modi's vision for South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

"Prime Minister reiterated his vision of shared prosperity in South Asia at the 18th SAARC Summit in Kathmandu on November 26-27. He articulated India's determination to lead the efforts, as the region's largest and most centrally located country, towards greater cooperation and integration in South Asia, both through SAARC and outside it," she said.

"Prime Minister Modi's vision and initiatives for the region has sparked a new wave of optimism in our South Asian partners," she added.