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Jaishankar slams Pakistan on cross-border terrorism, takes on China
India is trying to ensure that all ties advance without seeking exclusivity, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar has said.
External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar has stated that India's diplomatic strategy involves engaging all significant centres of power and pursuing multi-alignment to reflect the reality of multipolarity.
He noted that each engagement has its own particular weight and focus, and India is trying to ensure that all ties advance without seeking exclusivity. However, there are two countries that fall into a different category when it comes to being India’s neighbours.
According to EAM Jaishankar, China is different due to the border dispute and the abnormal nature of their current ties. Jaishankar has also made it clear that Pakistan is an exception to India's Neighborhood First Policy due to the cross-border terrorism it supports.
"China falls into a somewhat different category because of the boundary dispute and the currently abnormal nature of our ties," EAM Jaishankar said.
"The exception to this of course is Pakistan in view of the cross-border terrorism that it supports. But whether it is the COVID challenge or more recent debt pressures, India has always stepped up for its neighbours," he added.
Also Read: You're asking the wrong minister: Jaishankar tells Pak journalist on terrorism
India's most pressing priorities are in its neighbourhood, and it has taken a generous and non-reciprocal approach to cooperation with smaller neighbours, he said. This approach has seen a dramatic expansion in connectivity, contacts, and cooperation across the region, with the exception of Pakistan.
India has also developed the concept of extended neighbourhoods in all directions, with the Act East Policy opening up a pathway to a deeper engagement with the Indo-Pacific through a mechanism called the Quad.
Jaishankar highlighted the intensification of India's relationship with the Gulf and the Middle East, with the I2U2 grouping comprising India, Israel, UAE and the USA reflecting the growing ties between the regions.
Also Read: Check EAM Jaishankar’s Mahabharata reference while slamming India’s ‘unusual’ neighbours
About eight million Indians live and work in the Gulf, and the relationship is much more than economic, encompassing security, technology, and strong people-to-people ties, he noted. To the South, India's outlook is shaped by SAGAR, a Sanskrit word for oceans.
India's engagement with different countries and regions is based on concentric circles of priority, with each circle having its weight and focus. India is pursuing a strategy of connecting to Central Asia more effectively, and this has taken the form of structured engagements across multiple domains.
Jaishankar also highlighted the Indo-Pacific vision that emerged from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's comprehensive view of the entirety of the Indian Ocean and its islands, which has become a building block for India's approach to the region.
(With ANI inputs)
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First Published:1 May 2023, 09:16 AM IST
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