‘Irresponsible & Regrettable’: MEA Reacts To Bhagwant Mann’s Remarks On PM Modi’s Foreign Trip

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has reacted to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s remarks on the foreign trips of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In a statement, the foreign ministry said that Mann’s remarks were “irresponsible” and “regrettable”.

“We have seen some comments made by a high state authority about India’s relations with friendly countries from the Global South. These remarks are irresponsible and regrettable and do not behove the state authority. Government of India disassociates itself from such unwarranted comments that undermine India’s ties with friendly countries,” MEA official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

Taking a jibe at PM Modi, Mann said the Prime Minister is visiting countries where the population is 10,000.

“PM has gone somewhere. I think it is Ghana. He is going to be back and he is welcome. God knows which countries he keeps visiting, ‘Magnesia’, ‘Galveaisa’, ‘Tarvesia’. He does not stay in a country with 140 crore people. He is visiting countries where the population is 10,000 and he is getting the ‘highest awards’ there. Here, 10,000 people gather to watch a JCB… What has he gotten himself into!” Mann said.

PM Modi on Thursday returned from his 5-nation trip to Ghana, Trinidad & Tobago, Argentina, Brazil, and Namibia. He also attended the 17th BRICS Summit held in Rio de Janeiro under Brazil’s chairmanship.

In a press conference, BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent five-nation visit has set up a new era in India’s role on the international stage, particularly in cooperation with African and southern countries.

After BRCIS countries condemned the Pahalgam terror attack “in the strongest terms” in the 2025 declaration, Trivedi termed it as “a diplomatic success” of the BJP-led Centre.

Highlighting the economic benefits that India will certainly gain from this tour, he said, “Then, countries like Ghana and Namibia, which are rich in metals and minerals, like Copper, Uranium, Lithium, and rare earth metals, India has entered into an agreement with them, which is important for the future. It is important from an economic aspect.”

Trivedi also underlined the cultural and emotional connections strengthened through PM Modi’s visit while citing the example of Trinidad and Tobago, where a sizeable chunk of the country’s population is part of the Indian diaspora.

“The presence of the Indian diaspora in countries like Ghana and Trinidad and Tobago from one to two centuries, from there, it has been taken to a new height… So, strategically, culturally, economically, this visit of the PM has set up a new era in India’s role at the international level, with cooperation of the African and southern countries,” the BJP MP said.