Consistent foreign policy to help India emerge a global leader: Sharma

The Congress party's consistent foreign policy has helped India expand and diversify its commerce base, and as a result, it is poised to figure among the top three economies of the world by 2030, union commerce and industry Minister Anand Sharma said in Shimla on Sunday.

Speaking at a seminar on the 'Impact of Congress on foreign policy' to mark the 125th anniversary of the Indian National Congress, Sharma said Indian economy had recovered fast from economic recession and its policy of non-alignment had helped in building business and commercial relations with more than two dozen countries.

The Congress led the struggle against colonialism and started the process of decolonisation across the world, he said.

He said the first half of the 20th century belonged to Mahatma Gandhi who led the freedom movement in the country and the second half to Nelson Mandela who inspired the other countries under colonial rule to fight for independence.

Aligarh Muslim University vice-chancellor Abdulrahim P Bijapur said that that even before Independence, the Congress had made its views known on all important issues. Its decision on foreign policy in 1921 was a landmark one, he noted, adding that the party was always conscious of the importance of having a consistent foreign policy.

Bijapur said it was India that started the process of decolonisation, which resulted in many countries gaining independence by the end of the century.

Former Indian diplomat Pascal Alen Nazareth said that the Pokharan-II nuclear tests did not have the desired impact, as Pakistan had also come out with series of nuclear tests and eventually made intrusions in Kargil.

He expressed concern over nuclear weapons landing in the hands of unstable countries.