Coimbatore (TN), Jun 16 (PTI) Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan on Thursday asserted that India's ties with Middle East countries were strong and it will not strain due to the recent remarks made by a now suspended BJP leader on Prophet Mohammed.

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Replying to a specific question by reporters on how the union government was going to cement the strained diplomatic relations with Muslim nations, the Union Minister said, "Being a democratic country, where rule of law prevails, we have an independent judiciary, all these arms of the country will take care of every citizen with justice ensured for every one."

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"So, I don't think the relationship with countries in the Middle East will in any way be affected due to the recent incidents," he said.

Reacting to the gold smuggling case in Kerala, Muraleedharan said he was not in a position to comment as he has no information on it.

Earlier, addressing the students of Sri Krishna College of Engineering and Technology here on "India's Success Story in Foreign Policy in PM's Modi Era", he said India has witnessed a transformation in the relationship with foreign and neighbouring countries in the eight year rule under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Noting that India being the fifth largest economy in the world will move towards third position, he said the country is third in Startup Eco system and will move to pinnacle in the coming days.

Highlighting various diplomatic measures taken by the Modi government, the Union Minister said the government has ensured the release of nearly 3,000 Tamil Nadu fishermen from the custody of Sri Lankan prisons and it has now led to a situation that not even a single fisherman from the state is lodged in the jail of the island nation.

India, which is celebrating its 75th year of independence, has to be a global leader during its 100th year and the next 25 years would be the transformational age of India, Muraleedharan said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)