India's External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, has shared his positive outlook on the state of India's democracy, emphasizing that it has proven to be effective. He discussed how elections are held in India, pointing to the recent elections in Delhi and the parliamentary elections in 2024.

During a panel discussion titled 'Live to Vote Another Day: Fortifying Democratic Resilience' at the Munich Security Conference, Jaishankar participated alongside Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, US Senator Elissa Slotkin, and Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski. Jaishankar expressed his disagreement with the idea that democracy is in danger worldwide, focusing on the strength and success of India's democracy. "Well before I do that, I appeared to be an optimist in what is relatively a pessimistic panel, if not room. I will begin by sticking up my finger and don't take it badly, it is the index finger. This, the mark you see on my nail, is a mark of a person who has just voted. We just had an election in my state just over. Last year, we had a national election. In Indian elections, roughly two-thirds of the eligible voters vote. At the national elections, the electorate of about 900 million, about 700 million voted. We count the votes in a single day," said Jaishankar in response to a question on his opinions on Western democracy. 

"Nobody disputes the result after it's announced and by the way, from the time we started voting in the modern era, 20 per cent of people more vote today than they did decades ago. So, the first message is that somehow democracy is in trouble globally, worldwide, I am sorry, I have to differ with it. I mean, right now, we are living well. We are voting well. We are optimistic about the direction of our democracy and for us democracy is actually delivered," Jaishankar added. He further stated that India is a democratic society and provides nutrition support to 800 million people. He acknowledged that while democracy functions well in some areas, there may be challenges in others. However, he emphasized that these challenges should not be seen as a universal issue. External Affairs Minister said, "Senator you said that democracy doesn't put food on your table. Actually, in my part of the world, it does because it actually, today because we are a democratic society, we give nutrition support, and food to 800 million people and for whom that is a matter of how healthy they are and how full their stomachs are. So, the point I want to make is look different parts of the world are going through different conversations. Please do not assume that this is a kind of universal phenomenon, it is not."

"There are parts where it is working well, maybe there are parts where its not and the parts which are not, I think people need to have honest conversations about why it is not but I would argue that as to an extent as someone dispassionately viewing it, which was your question, there are some problems, a lot of it is a accumulated problem of the model of globalisation that we have followed for the last 25-30 years. I think a lot of chickens have come home to roost. So, yes there are issues but from our point of view today not all over the world but let's not make that universal," he added. 

In a post on X, Jaishankar wrote, "Started the #MSC2025 with a panel on 'Live to Vote Another Day: Fortifying Democratic Resilience'. Joined PM @jonasgahrstore, @ElissaSlotkin and @trzaskowski_. Highlighted India as a democracy that delivers. Differed with the prevailing political pessimism. Spoke my mind on foreign interference." Jaishankar explained that India adopted a democratic system after independence because its society was naturally consultative and diverse. He pointed out that there was a time when the West saw democracy as something unique to Western countries. However, he noted that many nations in the Global South might find India's democratic journey more relatable to their own societies than to Western models. He also highlighted that India has remained committed to democracy despite facing challenges. He emphasized that if the West wants democracy to thrive, it should also recognize and accept successful democratic models outside the Western world.

Asked whether nations in the Global South still aspire to a democratic system and the model that would attract people, Jaishankar responded, "Look, to an extent, all big countries are unique to an extent. But, we would certainly hope, I mean to the extent, we think of democracy as a universal aspiration, ideally a reality, but at least an aspiration, in large part because India chose a democratic model after independence and it chose a democratic model because we had fundamentally a consultative pluralistic society. Now, 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... 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."

"They will ask themselves which ones of them they relate to. I would argue in many ways India because it has historically been an open society, one very much linked with the world. Many countries of the Global South are more likely to relate to say that the Indian experience is more transposable to their societies than perhaps to those of others. So, 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 which is almost, when you look at our part of the world, we are pretty much the only country that has done that. So, I think this is something the West should look at because if you do want democracy eventually to prevail, it important the West also embraces the successful models outside the West," he added. 

The 61st Munich Security Conference (MSC) is taking place in Munich, Germany, from February 14 to 16. The MSC 2025 will provide a unique platform for top-level discussions on major foreign and security policy challenges of the time.