If My Ambassadors Did A Fraction Of What Western Diplomats Do, You’d Be Up In Arms: Jaishankar Slams West's 'Double Standards'

At the Munich Security Conference, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar slammed the West’s inconsistent stance on democracy, accusing them of maintaining "double standards" in their global approach to democratic values.

Speaking at a panel with Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, US Senator Elissa Slotkin, and Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski, Jaishankar challenged the Western perception of democracy as an exclusive Western characteristic.

He noted that while Western nations project themselves as champions of democracy, they continue to support non-democratic forces in the Global South.

"There was a time and I would have to say this in all honesty when the West treated democracy as a Western characteristic and was busy encouraging non-democratic forces in the Global South, and it still does. I mean in many cases, I can point to some very recent ones where everything that you say you value at home, you don't practice abroad. So, I do think the rest of the Global South will view the successes, shortcomings and the responses of other countries," he said, India Today reported.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar emphasised that democracy is a universal aspiration and not exclusive to the West.

Speaking on the democratic aspirations of the Global South, he noted that while every large country is unique, India consciously adopted a democratic model post-independence due to its deep-rooted pluralism and consultative traditions.

Despite economic and political challenges, India has remained committed to democracy, making it a standout example in its region.

"I do think that in our progress as a democracy, the fact that for all the challenges that we have had, even at a low income, we have stayed true to the democratic model. When you look at our part of the world, we are pretty much the only country that has done that," he said.

"I think this is something the West should look at because if you do want democracy eventually to prevail, it is important that the West also embraces the successful models outside the West," he added.

Taking a dig at "self-appointed custodians" of democracy, who questioned the rights and wrongs of a democracy, he said that such people would be challenged eventually.

"To self-appointed custodians who have never fought an election, who have nothing to do with democracy is actually telling the rest of the world what is right and what is wrong in a democracy. I think it is, to me, inevitable that it will be challenged," he said.

He pointed out the double standards in global diplomacy, highlighting how Western nations frequently engage with political outliers in other societies while reacting strongly if foreign diplomats do the same in their own countries.

"Every country has its own mainstream politics and outliers. If I were to look, for example, like how much Europeans and Westerners reach out to outliers in those societies? If i were to look at what Western Ambassadors do in India, if my Ambassadors did a fraction of that, you would all be up in arms. I think there are double standards here," he added.

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