India received $55 billion in FDI in two years: Sushma Swaraj

NEW DELHI: India has received $55 billion in FDI in the last two years, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said today, noting enhanced economic engagement with countries across the world has been a major priority area of the government's foreign policy.

Swaraj addressed an hour-long annual press conference in which she highlighted the achievements of the NDA government in the diplomatic spehere in the past one year, dwelling at length on initiatives to expand India's global engagements.

The External Affairs Minister said government had touched base with 140 countries in the past year and listed India's growing ties with nations in the African continent, countries of the Gulf region and Pacific islands as major achievements.

India will reach out to 65 countries to which it will send its ministers. There have not been any ministerial visits to these countries, Swaraj said.

Swaraj said she and Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited six SAARC countries, with the government strongly pursuing its "neighbourhood first" policy.

She said because of the sustained efforts, India has received $55 billion (Rs 3.69 lakh crore) in foreign direct investment in the last two years.

"It is an increase of 43 per cent compared to the time when UPA was in power. You have to make effort to get FDI. Because of our effort, FDI has gone up," Swaraj said, adding various foreign governments are participating in India's flagship programmes like rejuvenation of Ganga and smart cities projects due to MEA's continuous efforts.

The External Affairs Minsiter said India's ties with the US has improved significantly, adding the government will not undermine national interest while pursuing good relations with that country.

Swaraj touched upon a range of issues including government's engagement with the diaspora, India's position on South China Sea dispute and targeted killing by suspected Islamists in neighbouring Bangladesh.

On the issue of South China Sea, she said India wants peaceful settlement of the dispute. She said India will try to build consensus on Teesta water agreement with Bangladesh for which West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will have to be taken on board.

Talking about cooperation with Japan, Swaraj said the country will be a permanent participant in the Malbar exercise in which only India and the US participated earlier.