'In India it does', Jaishankar tells US senator who claimed 'democracy doesn't put food on the table'

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has defended the Indian democratic model, stating that the system has delivered results for the country. Speaking at a panel discussion titled 'Live to Vote Another Day: Fortifying Democratic Resilience,' at the Munich Security Conference, Jaishankar also called out the double standards of the West when it comes to democracy.

CREDIT: S Jaishankar

'West encouraging non-democratic forces'

¡°There was a time, I've to say this in all honesty, where the West treated democracy as a Western characteristic and was busy encouraging non-democratic forces in the Global South. It still does. Everything you value at home, you don't practice abroad," he said.

Started the #MSC2025 with a panel on 'Live to Vote Another Day: Fortifying Democratic Resilience'. Joined PM @jonasgahrstore, @ElissaSlotkin and @trzaskowski_.

Highlighted India as a democracy that delivers. Differed with the prevailing political pessimism. Spoke my mind on¡­ pic.twitter.com/h3GUmeglst

¡ª Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) February 14, 2025

'Democracy rooted in pluralism'

Jaishankar pointed out that India chose democracy after Independence as it was rooted in its consultative and pluralistic society.

"India chose a democratic model after Independence, it chose that model because we had fundamentally a consultative, pluralistic society," he said.

CREDIT: BCCL

'Nobody disputes results here'

The minister also argued that while democracy might be struggling in some countries, it is thriving in India.

¡°The mark on my index finger is a mark of a person who just voted. We just had an election in my state. Last year, we had a national election. In Indian elections, 2/3rd of national voters vote. We count the votes in a single day and nobody disputes the results after it is announced. Today, in the modern era, 20 per cent more voters vote than they did decades ago.

The message is that somehow democracy is in trouble globally, and I will have to disagree with it. We are voting well, we are optimistic about democracy and for us, democracy has actually delivered," he said.

CREDIT: BCCL

'In India, democracy feeds'

On US Senator Elissa Slotkin's "democracy doesn't put food on the table" comment, Jaishankar said it does in India.

"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.

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