Modi Cabinet 3.0: S Jaishankar retains Ministry of External Affairs, according to CNN-News18

S Jaishankar

A day after PM Narendra Modi and his ministerial colleagues were sworn in after the National Democratic Alliance achieved a narrow majority in the recently concluded parliamentary polls, the most awaited part of government formation is finally here. BJP's S Jaishankar retains the External Affairs Ministry.

Jaishankar's retention of the Foreign Ministry should be seen as continuity to New Delhi's changed Foreign Policy tack, where neighbourhood attains primacy.

For five years into his job as External Affairs Minister, the diplomat-politician emerged as Modi government's most articulate voice that marked India's geopolitical rise in a sharply polarised world.

The 69-year-old Jaishankar, whose illustrious diplomatic career spanned four decades, on Sunday took oath as a member of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Cabinet.

Known for his extraordinary sharpness and efficiency, the external affairs minister has earned kudos within India, especially from the youths, primarily for his decisive articulation of India's foreign policy priorities.

As the external affairs minister, Jaishankar, who is an ardent admirer of Modi, displayed with confidence his ability to clearly articulate India's positions on a range of complex issues on the global stage.

Jaishankar’s immediate focus area would remain three-fold: the challenges arising out of China's bullying tactics along the frontier, protecting India's interest in view of the ongoing situation in West Asia and the conflict in Ukraine.

How Jaishankar crafted an assertive foreign policy

Jaishankar had emerged as a prominent figure in India's diplomacy over the past five years, navigating a rapidly changing global landscape. As the first Foreign Secretary to assume the role of Foreign Minister, he played a pivotal part in shaping the nation's foreign policy amidst a series of challenges that disrupted the world order.