External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar praised India’s democratic system at the Munich Security Conference, emphasizing its successes in elections and welfare programs, while rejecting the notion of global democratic decline.

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• Jaishankar spoke at the Munich Security Conference from February 14 to 16, 2025.
• He emphasized that India’s democracy is thriving and has delivered successful elections.
• He highlighted the 2024 parliamentary elections in India, where nearly 700 million out of 900 million eligible voters participated.
• Voter turnout in India has increased by 20% over the decades, according to Jaishankar.
• He rejected the claim that democracy is failing globally, expressing optimism about India’s democratic future.
• Jaishankar pointed out that India provides nutrition support to 800 million people as part of large-scale welfare programs.
• He discussed global challenges, linking many to issues arising from globalization over the past few decades.
• Jaishankar argued that India’s democratic experience is more relevant to the Global South than Western models.
• He also stated that India’s democratic model is unique and should be recognized globally.
• The Munich Security Conference offers a platform for high-level discussions on foreign and security policy, running from February 14 to 16, 2025.