PM's overseas travels brought FDI: Sushma

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Sunday defended the Narendra Modi government's global outreach-driven foreign policy and said there are many benefits of such endeavours.

"Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) does not come sitting at home," Sushma Swaraj said, in an apparent dig at critics who have often Prime Minister Modi's frequent overseas travels.

"Aaj jab Bharat bolta hai, duniya sunti hai (Today when India speaks, the world listens)," she told the media here.

The minister said since the Modi government took charge in May 2014, there had been a substantial FDI inflow.

"As much as $55 billion or Rs 369,000 crore has come through the FDI route in the last two years. It is about a 43 per cent jump over what it was during the UPA rule."

Sushma Swaraj said the foreign outreach had helped India enlist assistance of global players like the US, France, Germany and England in flagship schemes like 'Smart Cities'.

"With Australia alone, we had 13 agreements on skill development," she said, adding there had been cooperation with countries such as Germany and Japan for 'Namami Ganga' programme.

--IANS

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