Nicosia [Cyprus]: In a veiled attack, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, on December 30, sent a strong message to China in an address during his Cyprus visit . He said that terrorism could not be used to force India on the “negotiating table”.
Without mentioning Pakistan, The minister affirmed that there would be no compromise on the core issues because no country has suffered from terrorism as much as India.”We have been very clear that we will not normalize and rationalize terrorism. We want good neighbourly relations with everybody. But good neighbourly relations do not mean excusing, looking away, or rationalizing terrorism. That we are very clear.” he said.
“The second, of course, is our borders. And we have challenges on our borders. The challenges on the borders intensified during the COVID period. And you all know that today the state of our relations with China is not normal. They are not normal because we will not agree to any attempt to change the Line of Actual Control (LAC) unilaterally. So on the foreign policy side, on the national security side, I can share with you a picture of firmness on diplomacy, on foreign policy, because that is something which I am,” he added.
Talking about the expectations from India, Jaishankar said there are many expectations as New Delhi is seen as the one that solves problems. He added that India is seen as a country with a strong economy and an independent nation.
EAM Jaishankar is on his first official visit to Cyprus as the two countries celebrate 60 years of diplomatic relations.
During his visit, Jaishankar met his Cypriot counterpart Kasoulides and signed an agreement on defence and military cooperation, another Letter of Intent on immigration and mobility, and the agreement on Cyprus joining the International Solar Alliance (ISA).
The two leaders shared their vision for world peace, freedom, and democracy. Kasoulides said India and Cyprus were driven by their partnership to diversify and deepen the people-to-people contact.
Jaishankar said, ” Finally, let me say a few words about Indians abroad. Indians abroad in the sense of Indian citizens staying abroad, people who are part of Indian families abroad, and overseas citizens. OCS
Cardholders, from the time the Modi government came, I think we have been very clear that Indians abroad are a great source of strength to the motherland. I mean, there are absolutely no two ways about this. But just saying this is not enough. As we become bigger, as more Indians go out, the global workplace increases.”
“Today there are 30, 32, 33 million Indians, 3.3 crore Indians and people of Indian origin who live abroad, maybe about roughly two to one are non-citizens and citizens. Now, when such a large number of people live abroad, and the benefits to India are visible to us in many ways, the big issue which arises is what is the obligation of India? And the obligation of India is really to take care of them, to take care of them to the best possible ability, especially in the most difficult situations. So you have seen in the last seven or eight years, wherever Indians have been in difficulty, the Indian government, the Indian state is there for them,” he added.
Jaishankar mentioned his 40 years of experience in the foreign ministry and said that this had been a complete transformation of how embassies and high commissions and ministries, and officials think about the Indian community.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told investors in Cyprus that India is on the path of becoming a manufacturing hub for the global community and intended to become a USD 5 trillion economy by 2025.
Addressing a business event organized by the High Commission of India in Cyprus, Jaishankar said New Delhi and Nicosia had a lot of potentials to increase the bilateral trade between the two countries.
Jaishankar, on a three-day visit to Cyprus, while addressing the business event, said India and Cyprus had bilateral trade of about USD 214 million last year and were confident to reach the previous year’s figure much earlier this year.
Earlier on December 14, the External Affairs Minister sharply responded to Pakistan’s counterpart Bilawal Bhutto Zardari after he remarked on the Kashmir issue at the United Nations in New York. Speaking at the UN, S Jaishankar said, “That certainly applies to state sponsorship of cross-terrorism. Nor can hosting Osama bin Laden and attacking a neighbouring parliament serve as credentials to sermonise before this council.”
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