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Jaishankar slams western "double standards" on democracy at Munich
India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar criticized Western countries on democracy at the Munich Security Conference and highlighted India’s democratic success.
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Dr. Jaishankar at the Munich Security Conference / X/ @DrSJaishankar
India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar delivered a sharp critique of the West’s approach to democracy at the Munich Security Conference (MSC) on Feb. 16.
He criticized Western countries for applying "double standards." He argued that while Western nations claim democracy as their own, they often support non-democratic forces in the Global South.
Following the discussion, Jaishankar took to X and posted, “Joined President @alexstubb, Lana Nusseibeh, @JonHuntsman, and @NathalieTocci for a conversation on ‘Exception and Exceptionalism: Deciphering the 2025 World Order’ at #MSC2025. Highlighted the reshaping underway, impacting politics, economy, technology, and diplomacy.”
Joined President @alexstubb, Lana Nusseibeh, @JonHuntsman and @NathalieTocci for a conversation on ‘Exception and Exceptionalism: Deciphering the 2025 World Order’ at #MSC2025.
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) February 15, 2025
Highlighted the reshaping underway, impacting politics, economy, technology and diplomacy. pic.twitter.com/1PMb4KcwFR
Jaishankar highlighted India's democratic credentials, pointing to its massive voter participation. Displaying the ink mark on his finger from a recent local election, he emphasized, "In Indian elections, roughly two-thirds of the eligible voters vote. At the national elections, (out of) the electorate of about 900 million, about 700 million voted. We count the votes in a single day."
He suggested that Western nations should take note of India’s democratic success. “The Indian experience is more transposable to their societies than perhaps to those of others,” he remarked, reinforcing the idea that democracy is not exclusive to the West.
The discussion took an interesting turn when U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin commented that "democracy doesn’t put food on the table." Jaishankar countered this assertion by citing India’s welfare programs, noting that democratic governance in India ensures food security for 800 million people. His response underscored that democracy, when effectively implemented, can deliver tangible benefits to citizens.
Jaishankar also acknowledged the varied success of democratic systems worldwide, stating, "There are parts where it is working well, maybe there are parts where it's not, and the parts that are not, I think people need to have honest conversations about why it is not." He pointed out that despite the economic and social challenges India has faced, the country has "stayed true" to the democratic model.
“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 is important the West also embraces the successful models outside the West,” he added.
Jaishankar’s comments reflect a growing frustration among Global South nations over what they see as the West’s selective application of democratic principles. He has previously criticized Western nations for expecting global solidarity on issues like the Ukraine war while ignoring challenges faced by non-Western countries.
Jaishankar's candid remarks have gone viral in the West, with Maria Wirth, an X user, sharing, "A popular German podcaster (AktienMitKopf) quoted and translated what India's Foreign Minister @DrSJaishankar said in #Munich. He was delighted that Dr. Jaishankar put the hypocritical European Union in its place. Within 2 hours, his video got 78k views and 23k likes. An unusually high percentage of likes."
The German podcaster, Kolja Barghoorn, host of "Aktien mit Kopf," shared a complete video decoding Jaishankar's comments. The video was titled "Munich: Indian Foreign Minister Drops EU Bombshell!"
The MSC, held from Feb. 14-16, brought together global leaders to discuss security and international cooperation. The conference is an annual event held in Munich, Germany, focusing on international security policy.
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