External Affair Minister S Jaishankar, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj at the International Education fair in New Delhi. (Image: News18)
Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar inaugurated the first-ever International Education Fair in New Delhi on Monday, attended by Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of State at PMO Jitendra Singh, and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha
Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar inaugurated Jammu and Kashmir’s first-ever International Education Fair in New Delhi on Tuesday. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of State at PMO Jitendra Singh, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha also attended the event held at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan.
Speaking at the event organised by Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Science and Technology (SKUAST-Kashmir) and Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), Jaishankar lauded the process of change that began in Jammu and Kashmir three years ago due to the Centre’s goal of providing the same opportunities for advancement and prosperity to the people of Jammu and Kashmir as are enjoyed by the rest of India.
Hailing the process kickstarted by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government with the abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special constitutional status via Article 370 three years ago, the External Minister said the integration of people from Jammu and Kashmir into the nation’s mainstream is essential.
“It was also by doing so they would connect up with the rest of India and the international mainstream. For me, it is not just an educational event. It is an integral part of ensuring that a very important region of India is connected to what is happening in the world,” he said.
He also observed that Indian universities should focus on inviting more foreign students to their campuses. “Today, India has completed or is in the process of delivering projects in 78 countries. So, if our relationships are extensive, investments deep and networking good, we need to see that translated into a greater flow of international students to India,” Jaishankar said.
“In a globalised world, it’s absolutely essential that young people of India are fully aware of what’s happening in the world and there is no better way to do that than having international students among you,” he added.