‘India open to engaging those who recognise the value of diversity’
A day after Washington announced that Antony J Blinken, the US secretary of state scheduled to arrive for a two-day visit of India on July 27, would raise the issues of human rights and democracy, New Delhi has stated on Sunday said that as a long-standing pluralistic society, India is “open to engaging those who now recognise the value of diversity”.
During his visit, Blinken will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. The Ministry of External Affairs said in New Delhi that National Security Advisor Ajit Doval will also meet him.
Sources in the Indian government said that “issues such as human rights and democracy are universal and extend beyond a particular national or cultural perspective”, and that “India is proud of its achievements in both domains and is always glad to share experiences”.
“As a long-standing pluralistic society, India is open to engaging those who now recognise the value of diversity,” sources said on Sunday, obliquely underlining the polarised and divided nature of society in the US.
