Indian Foreign Minister Meets MP-LEADS Fellows to Discuss Foreign Policy

New Delhi, August 14: Indian Foreign Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar met with young participants of the MP-LEADS (Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme – Leadership and Engagement for Advanced Development Studies) fellowship program on Thursday. The discussion focused on India’s foreign policy and key national priorities.

Dr. Jaishankar shared photos of the meeting on the social media platform X, expressing his pleasure in meeting talented young participants from various parts of India, organized by his parliamentary colleague, Rajya Sabha MP Dr. Ajit Madhavrao Gopchade.

He praised the fellows for their interest and enthusiasm in Indian foreign policy. Topics discussed included international partnerships, diaspora welfare, neighborhood first policy, technology, a developed India, and self-reliance.

Additionally, India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with a group of MP-LEADS fellows, with Rajya Sabha MP Dr. Ajit Madhavrao also present during the meeting.

The Ministry of External Affairs shared details of the meeting on X, stating, “Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with a group of MP-LEADS fellows and engaged in an interesting discussion on India’s foreign policy. Rajya Sabha MP Dr. Ajit Madhavrao Gopchade was present for the conversation.”

These meetings are part of the MP-LEADS fellowship, a two-month internship program initiated by Rajya Sabha MP Ajit Madhavrao Gopchade. The program aims to provide youth with experience in governance, public policy, and legislative processes. According to a press release from the Vice President’s Secretariat issued on July 2, 40 participants were selected from over 5,000 applications. Notably, 62% of the selected participants are women, representing various regions of the country.

During a conversation with the fellows at the Vice President’s residence on July 2, Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan urged the youth to become leaders committed to national service. He stated, “Leadership is assessed not by authority, but by the ability to serve society with humility, integrity, and compassion.”

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