Democratic India able to feed 800 mn people: EAM schools West in Munich

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar took a pointed jab at the West on Saturday, asserting that India remains optimistic about the trajectory of its democracy. Speaking at the Munich Security Conference during a panel discussion on “Live to Vote Another Day: Fortifying Democratic Resilience,” Jaishankar pushed back against the narrative that democracy is in decline globally.

Sharing the stage with Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, US Senator Elissa Slotkin and Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski, Jaishankar underscored India’s deep-rooted democratic traditions.

“I appear to be an optimist in what is a relatively pessimistic panel, if not room,” he remarked. Holding up his ink-marked finger, he emphasised India’s robust electoral participation.

“This mark you see on my nail is from voting. We just had an election in my state (Delhi). In India, roughly two-thirds of eligible voters participate. In our national elections, out of an electorate of about 900 million, around 700 million voted. We count the votes in a single day.”

He pointed out that voter turnout in India has increased by 20 per cent over the decades, countering claims that democracy is under threat worldwide.

“The idea that democracy is in trouble globally — I’m sorry, I have to differ. In India, democracy is thriving. We are voting well and we are optimistic about its direction. More importantly, democracy has delivered for us.”

Responding to Senator Slotkin’s comment that democracy “doesn’t put food on your table,” Jaishankar strongly disagreed. “In my part of the world, it actually does. As a democratic society, we provide nutrition support and food to 800 million people. For them, democracy directly affects their well-being — how healthy they are and whether their stomachs are full.”

He emphasised that different parts of the world have different democratic experiences and urged the West not to assume a universal decline in democratic values.

“There are places where democracy is working well and places where it is not. Those struggling need to have honest conversations about why that is the case,” he added. When asked if countries in the Global South still aspire to democracy, Jaishankar reaffirmed India’s commitment to the democratic model.

“All big countries are unique in their own way, but democracy remains a universal aspiration. India embraced democracy after Independence because we have always been a consultative, pluralistic society.”

He also criticised past Western approaches to democracy, noting that there was a time when the West viewed democracy as an exclusively Western characteristic while supporting non-democratic forces in the Global South.

Despite its challenges, Jaishankar said, India remained steadfast in its democratic principles even when it was a low-income country.

“If the West truly wants democracy to prevail worldwide, it must acknowledge and embrace successful democratic models outside the West,” he concluded.