During his visit to Sweden for the EU Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar interacted with the Indian community and discussed the globalization of Indian culture. When asked about the potential shift in global preferences towards Indian culture, such as consuming Pani Puri instead of hamburgers or wearing H&M T-shirts with New Delhi printed on them, Jaishankar humorously responded with the popular Hindi phrase “aapke muh mein ghee-shakkar” (may your words come true), eliciting laughter from the audience.
Jaishankar acknowledged that he could see the globalization of Indian culture happening, attributing it to factors such as the spread of the Indian diaspora and India’s growing confidence in expressing its cultural identity. He emphasized the need to make this globalization more universal and cited the International Day of Yoga, initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015, as an excellent example. He admitted that even they couldn’t have anticipated the extent of its success, with enthusiasm for yoga present in every country around the world.
The minister highlighted the power of culture, mentioning music and cinema as other areas where Indian culture could have a significant impact. He expressed his belief that India’s cultural strength had yet to be fully utilized and encouraged enthusiastic individuals within the Indian community to inspire others to participate in promoting Indian culture globally.
Jaishankar’s visit to Sweden marked his first trip as the External Affairs Minister. The visit is significant as India and Sweden are celebrating the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Notably, Sweden currently holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
Jaishankar’s interaction with the Indian community in Sweden highlighted the global influence of Indian culture and the importance of leveraging India’s cultural strength on the international stage. The minister’s humorous response and positive outlook resonated with the audience, emphasizing the need to continue promoting Indian culture worldwide.