India is a democracy that delivers: S Jaishankar

"Today we can say that India is not just a democracy but it is a democracy that delivers, and it draws on its own consultative and inclusive traditions to do so," Jaishankar said at the MIREX in Dominican Republic.

"Do appreciate that India's democratic choice has had truly global repercussions and therefore so does its success. So let me conclude by underlining that we live in a more volatile and uncertain world, there are two big contradictions of our times. One is the polarization between the East and the West," he said.

He said: "The other is the divide between the North and the South. India has a bridging role in both. Its ability to engage multiple and competing interests makes its position relatively unique to varying degrees that too serves as an example. "

He further said: " The world will become more democratic and more diverse with the passage of time and India's culture, heritage and traditions will make the due contribution. Yoga perhaps is a good example to reflect on a very obvious one."

He said India's Presidency of the G20 this year is devoted to focusing on the real challenges to Global development and Global growth.

He said India's development partnership covers 78 countries and is reflected in almost 600 projects globally.

He said: "Now like any other country, India's most pressing priorities are obviously in its neighborhood. Given its size and economic strength it is very much for the collective benefit that India takes a generous and non-reciprocal approach to cooperation with smaller neighbors. And that's exactly what we have done in the last decade under Prime Minister Modi and this in our region has come to be known as the Neighborhood First Policy."

Targeting Pakistan, the Indian minister said: "It has seen a dramatic expansion in connectivity, in contacts, in cooperation across the region. The exception to this of course is Pakistan in view of the cross-border terrorism that it supports."