External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar spoke about India’s relationship with its neighbourhood countries and noted that ties with Pakistan remain an exception due to Pakistan’s support for cross-border terrorism. He also highlighted India’s help towards Sri Lanka and how the country’s ties stand with Myanmar and Afghanistan. EAM Jaishankar made the remarks during the 19th Nani A Palkhivala Memorial Lecture on Saturday (January 18).
Speaking about the challenges faced in India’s neighbourhood, Jaishankar said, “India’s challenge has been to rebuild a neighbourhood in the aftermath of the partition. It is now doing so through a generous and non-reciprocal approach, funding and supporting energy, rail and road connectivity, expanding trade and investment and intensifying exchanges and contacts”.
Citing examples from recent history, Jaishankar said, “In times of crisis, be it the pandemic or the economic meltdown, India has actually served as an insurance for its smaller neighbours. Sri Lanka discovered that in 2023 when India put together a package of more than USD 4 billion even while the rest of the world didn’t. It is also a reality that political developments may throw up complex situations as we are currently witnessing in Bangladesh. The very purpose of closer cooperation and contacts is actually to address such contingencies at the end of the day. It is the mutuality of interest that should be counted upon to prevail”.
Speaking about Pakistan, Jaishankar remarked, “Pakistan remains the exception in our neighbourhood in view of its support for cross-border terrorism, and that cancer is now consuming its own body politic”.
Speaking about India’s other two neighbours, Myanmar and Afghanistan, Jaishankar said, “We in India have long-standing people-to-people ties with both societies and we must be mindful that those more proximate have stakes which are quite different from others far away”.
Earlier, the EAM spoke about the wide expanse of areas covered in the ambit of Indian foreign policy and underlined India’s approach to diplomacy in the last decade. Highlighting the challenge faced by the world due to “the weaponisation of market instruments and financial institutions”, Jaishankar said.
“The challenge for India is to undertake its rise in such unpredictable circumstances. To do that it has to accelerate both its internal growth and modernization as well as de-risk its external exposure. At home that is best done through political stability, broad-based and inclusive growth and continuing reforms. It means more focus on manufacturing, food and health security as well as building deep strengths that would make us more competitive,” he gave a call for strategic autonomy and noted that India should not be behind in the development of critical and emerging technologies.
“India may be non-west but its strategic interests ensure it is not anti-west”, the EAM remarked.
(With inputs from ANI)
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