Noting that India is assuming a new leadership role on the world stage, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday said there was a need for projecting the country's "true image" of a modern and technologically-advanced nation.
Mukherjee asked diplomats to play an increasingly active role to build and nurture external linkages to sustain the rapid growth of the country's economy, besides harnessing the "limitless potential" of large communities of Indians and Persons of Indian Origin around the globe.
"In the domain of external publicity, we need to put an end to sterotypes about India as have continued to exist and project the true image of a modern and technologically advanced nation," Mukherjee said addressing officials of the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi at the ground-breaking ceremony for the MEA building.
He noted that India is assuming a new leadership role on the world stage and "these are times of new opportunities as well as new challenges for our diplomacy".
The diplomats are required to make certain that India assumes its due place in the global order, the minister said.
Pointing out that economic aspects of India's diplomacy are becoming ever more important, he said the country's growing economy necessitates increasing access to markets, sources of energy and investment and advanced technologies.
Mukherjee said India was committed to late prime minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru's ideal of a peaceful world in which all nations, big and small, can live in harmony and work together for the progress and prosperity of their peoples.
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