While addressing the heads of Estonian diplomatic missions on the last day of tri-nation tour to the Baltic Region, the Vice President Naidu said that India would not accept interference or mediation in the internal affairs of the country.

He also asserted that the restructuring of Jammu Kashmir state was aimed at improving governance and fostering inclusive and equitable growth. “This decision was taken by the Indian Parliament with an overwhelming majority cutting across party lines”, he added.

The Vice President said that attempts to buy our neighbouring country to spread misinformation was totally unwarranted and that this kind of intervene with other nation’s internal administration doesn’t bode well for world peace.

Pointing out that India has been facing the menace of cross-border terrorism for long, Naidu told the Estonian leaders that more needs to be done by the international community to counter activities of terrorist groups along with the need to bring greater accountability and transparency to the work of UN Security Council’s Sanctions Committee dealing with listing of terrorists.

“Misinformation, disinformation and malicious, hateful rhetoric exacerbate tensions.  In a world that has committed to achieve an ambitious, transformative agendas of sustainable development by 2030, these irritants can retard the progress substantially”, he added.

The Vice President urged all members of the UN to demonstrate a collective political will for early adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism which was proposed by India in 1996.

Naidu also told the Estonian dignitaries that India believed in peaceful relations with all nations, including its neighbours.

Addressing the media along with the President of Estonia, Naidu said that we recognised the importance of building a global order based on respect for international law and national sovereignty

In his meeting with Mr. Henn Polluaas, President of the Riigikogu, the Vice President called for enhanced contact and dialogues between the respective parliamentarians to increase understanding and adopting best practices for promoting efficiency, effectiveness, and transparency of parliament systems.

The Vice President also outlined a few perspectives that have been guiding India’s engagement with the world, Samvad, Samruddhi, Suraksha, Sanskriti, and Samman  (Dialogue, mutual prosperity, mutual security, strengthening cultural ties and mutual respect). “We believe that we must have an inclusive, open and free system that treats all nations equally and fairly and aims to create mutually- beneficial platforms for cooperation. We wish to see a world order that ensures security and growth for all”, he said.

The Foreign Minister of Estonia, Urmas Reinsalu welcomed the Vice President and more than 60 diplomats were present at the occasion.

Earlier in the day, he held wide ranging talks with the President and Prime Minister of Estonia, who pledged to support India’s claim for permanent membership of the United Nation’s Security Council (UNSC) and to intensify the global efforts to fight against terrorism.

The Vice President and both the dignitaries, the President, Kersti Kalju laid and the Prime Minister, JuriRatas have agreed to expand bilateral relations in all spheres, particularly economic, cultural and Information Technology.

Addressing the India-Estonia Business Forum, the Vice President said that India has been recording an economic growth of over 7% for several years and was expected to become a US $ 5Trillion economy by 2025.

Appreciating Estonia’s e-residency scheme, which facilitated about 2200 Indians to become e-residents of Estonia, he said it would enable Indian companies and entrepreneurs to use Estonia as a launch pad for entering the Baltic, Nordic and

Coinciding with the Vice President’s visit, MoUs on Cyber Security and the exemption of Visa requirement for Diplomatic Passport holders were signed between Indian and Estonian officials. An enhanced agreement on e-governance was also signed.