New Delhi, June 11 -- NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Ashok Kumar Lahiri on Thursday said that India must continue focusing on development and human capital creation despite the ongoing crisis in West Asia, stressing that external challenges should not derail the country's growth trajectory.

Speaking at a press briefing on the 11th Governing Council Meeting, Lahiri said India was playing its role in addressing the situation through diplomatic channels while continuing to pursue domestic development goals.

Lahiri said, "You can't change the wind; you can only trim your sails. The West Asia crisis, India is playing its role, our foreign ministry is playing its role."

Emphasising the need to stay focused on long-term priorities, he noted that In...