Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday referred to Myanmar political leader Aung San Suu Kyi as a symbol of democracy during his meeting with the National League for Democracy (NLD) chairperson.
"Prime Minister referred to her [Aung San Suu Kyi] as a symbol of democracy. He said that whenever he sees any reference to her in the media, he always recollects the enormous efforts and sacrifices she has made for democracy," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin told the media here.
Akbaruddin further said that during her meeting with the Prime Minister, Suu Kyi referred to India as her 'second home' and recalled the long ties that her country shares with India.
"On her part, Aung Sang Syu Kyi was very effusive in her references to India. She said India was like her second home, because it was the first country she travelled after going out from Myanmar," Akbaruddin said.
"There were also references to linkages between General Aung Sang and Netaji [Subhas Chandra Bose], there were also sound references to her mother who was an ambassador in India," he added.
According to Akbaruddin, Suu Kyi also praised India for being a true example of democracy with diverse traits and emphasised that New Delhi should work to ensure that stability and democracy goes hand in hand to prove its detractors wrong.
"Her request [to India] was that it is important for countries like ours to emphasise that stability and democracy can go hand in hand, because there may be some who feel that these cannot move in parallel. She said India both by precept and practice could emphasise as a large country with a diverse pluralistic population that democracy can flourish and thrive, including a country which is a developing country," Akbaruddin said.
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On a poser about whether the Myanmar political leader received any invitation to visit India, the MEA spokesperson said, "The Prime Minister did mention to her that she would always be welcome to India and he said that they would be willing to host her at an appropriate time... But the invitation to Aung Sang Suu Kyi to come to India is always available, as nobody invites people to their second home, they are welcome."
Akbaruddin also said that Prime Minister Modi gifted Suu Kyi a copy of Mahatma Gandhi's commentary on the Bhagavad Gita.
Taking part in the India-ASEAN Summit, Prime Minister Modi said that India's 'Look East Policy' has become an 'Act East Policy'. On the sidelines of this summit, Prime Minister Modi met with the South Korean President, the Prime Ministers of Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand and the Sultan of Brunei.