Global Democracy Under Threat? Jaishankar's Sharp Counter: 'Will Start By Sticking Up My Finger...'

Last Updated:February 15, 2025, 10:36 IST

EAM S Jaishankar highlighted India as a democracy that delivers and said he differs in the view that democracy is in trouble globally.

EAM S Jaishankar speaks during a panel discussion on 'Live to Vote Another Day: Fortifying Democratic Resilience' at the Munich Security Conference | Image/X

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar raised his inked index finger before taking on the West on the pessimism that democracy is under threat globally. He highlighted India as a democracy that delivers and said he differs in the view that democracy is in trouble globally.

His remarks came as he spoke during a panel discussion on ‘Live to Vote Another Day: Fortifying Democratic Resilience’ at the Munich Security Conference alongside Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, US Senator Elissa and Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowsk.

“Well before I do that, I appeared to be an optimist in what is relatively a pessimistic panel, if not room. I will begin by sticking up my finger and don’t take it badly, it is the index finger. This, the mark you see on my nail, is a mark of a person who has just voted. We just had an election in my state just over," the EAM said.

“Last year, we had a national election. In Indian elections, roughly two-thirds of the eligible voters vote. At the national elections, the electorate of about 900 million, about 700 million voted. We count the votes in a single day," he remarked.

“From the time we started voting in the modern era, 20 per cent of more people vote today than they did decades ago. So, the first message is that somehow democracy is in trouble globally, worldwide, I am sorry, I have to differ with it. I mean, right now, we are living well. We are voting well. We are optimistic about the direction of our democracy and for us democracy is delivered," he added.

Affirming that “nobody disputes" the result after it is declared, Jaishankar went on to respond to Senator Slotkin, who on the panel said that democracy “doesn’t put food on your table".

“Actually, in my part of the world, it does because we are a democratic society, we give nutrition support, and food to 800 million people and for whom that is a matter of how healthy they are and how full their stomachs are. The point I want to make is look different parts of the world are going through different conversations. Please do not assume that this is a kind of universal phenomenon, it is not," he said.

Later, Jaishankar shared the snapshots from the conference and said, “Highlighted India as a democracy that delivers. Differed with the prevailing political pessimism. Spoke my mind on foreign interference."

The 61st Munich Security Conference (MSC) is currently underway in Munich, Germany, from February 14 to 16. MSC 2025 claims to provide a leading platform for high-level discussions on critical global foreign and security policy issues.

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