High Commissioner of Gambia, Mustapha Jawara, “During Covid-19, India donated Gambia lots of vaccines and that saved so many lives. We are grateful to Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) and his government for that.” Asked about PM Modi’s mantra of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’, he said, “He (PM Modi) is the leader of the Global South. I will say that the Prime Minister (Modi) is the best of the best. In the Global South, we love him. He is a global leader. He has shown this during the G20 and we in the Global South are proud of him for his role. It’s because of him, our continent, Africa, has a representation in the G20. So we are grateful for that. He is championing our rights at all levels. So we have nothing but to thank him.”

Commenting on the peaceful co-existence of all communities in India, the High Commissioner of Gambia said, “India is an example as the second largest Muslim country as far as I know. I as a Muslim have been invited to a function by a non-Muslim. That is testament to that.”

Asked about India’s role as a peacemaker, Amb Jawara said: “India under PM Modi’s administration has shown leadership in that sector. Because of India, there is peace in the world. If it were not India and the Prime Minister (Modi), the issue between Russia and Ukraine would have gone to another level.”

Cultural Counsellor of Iran, Fariduddin Faridasr, said, “What is common between India and Iran is that Prime Ministers of both the nations are connected to their soil, rooted in their culture, heritage and value system. India and Iran shared strong bilateral ties in the past and they will continue to strengthen it further in future as well. Due to these shared beliefs of PMs of both the nations, bilateral relations between Indian and Iran will be strengthened further. Supremacy of law is the soul of secularism and India has that unique power of secularism which is one among the many reasons that India will progress further as it gives respect and love to people from all communities equally.”