Manmohan Singh praises PM Modi's leadership, says "India has done the right thing...".

Former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has praised India for prioritizing its economic and national security concerns while simultaneously pleading for peace while under the leadership of PM Modi. He praised India's stance on the war in Russia and Ukraine and said India had "done the right thing."

In addition, he noted that, since his time as prime minister from 2004 to 2014, international policy has become more crucial to domestic politics. During India's G20 chairmanship, Singh further emphasized the value of diplomacy without being unduly swayed by partisan politics.

The 90-year-old former prime minister added, "I am extremely delighted that India's rotating chance for the Presidency of the G20 came during my lifetime and I am witness to India hosting world leaders for the G20 summit. While it is fair to say that foreign policy is now far more relevant and significant to domestic politics than it was in the past, it has always been a key component of India's governance system. While India's place in the world should legitimately be a concern in domestic politics, it is equally crucial to use diplomacy and foreign policy with prudence when pursuing party or personal goals. 

He continued, "There is enormous pressure on other countries to select sides when two or more powers are involved in a conflict, and India has done "the right thing" on the Russia-Ukraine conflict. I think India made the correct decision by prioritizing our economic and national interests while simultaneously requesting peace. The G20 was never intended to serve as a forum for resolving disputes over security. In order to address the issues of climate change, inequality, and trade confidence, the G20 must put aside disputes over security and maintain its focus on policy coordination, he added.