Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said here today that the world today looks up to India to overcome the global challenges.

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the United Nations Ocean Conference with participation of over 150 countries of the world, including Heads of State, senior Ministers, eminent scientists and policymakers, here today, Dr Jitendra Singh said over the last two days, he and the other members of the Indian delegation have realized how much of expectation the other countries have from India.

Dr Jitendra Singh attributed this to the change of perception about India's capabilities that has happened over the last 11 years with certain decisive measures taken by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and also the stability of the government offered to him over the last one decade.

Referring to the completion of the 11 years of the Modi government, Dr Jitendra Singh said that it is a pleasant coincidence that today as the Modi government completes its 11 years in office, here we are witnessing a huge surge and enthusiasm among the representatives of other member states and countries to be benefitted by India's capabilities and capacities.

The Minister said, as far as the ocean related concerns and challenges are concerned, India has not only taken a lead in handling these challenges, but the strength to India's efforts came from the resolve of the political dispensation which was evident by the fact that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi referred to Deep Ocean Mission not once but twice in his independence day address consecutively for two years.

In the last 10 years, Dr Jitendra Singh said the difference now is that India is taken seriously, even in matters of global concerns like ocean challenges, climate patterns, and clean energy concerns, whereas earlier on the world thought of India as a non-serious or a complacent actor in these domains.

Elaborating further Dr Jitendra Singh said that the challenges of the ocean concerns need to be addressed collectively because nearly 70% of the earth's surface is occupied by oceans and the oceans know no political or geographical boundaries, and therefore, the good and bad effects emanating from the oceans affect the humanity, regardless of the nationality or the country.

He said the ocean concerns are mainly of two natures, (a) those emanating directly from the oceans like global warming leading to rise in the temperature of ocean waters, also rise in the ocean water levels, etc., and (b), those relating to the pollution of the ocean waters, like oil spill over, plastic, etc.

Dr Jitendra Singh said that India is one of the first countries to have officially banned the single use plastic, and our Deep Ocean Mission is progressing in close collaboration with the Space Agency ISRO as well as other research and technical institutes of the country. Thus, following the pattern of the whole of science and the whole of the government to accomplish the optimum results.

Pertinent to mention that the Indian delegation led by Dr Jitendra Singh has found itself much sought after for one to one meetings by several other countries of the world, which only signifies the importance of India for all the other stakeholders in matters related to global concerns.

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NKR/PSM

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