Cross-border terrorism not good policy: Jaishankar

New Delhi: External affairs minister S. Jaishankar on Tuesday in a reprimand to Pakistan, in the wake of the Reasi terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, said that the pursuit of cross-border terrorism “cannot be the policy of a good neighbour”.

He was speaking to reporters following his re-appointment as EAM which he termed a great honour and privilege. While referring to former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif reaching out to India via social media platform X on Monday evening, the EAM said the remarks had already been welcomed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. But, Jaishankar also made it clear that Pakistani policy of cross-border terrorism is the main issue for India. “Cross-border terrorism (by Pakistan)—how do we find a solution to it? That cannot be the policy of a good neighbour,” the EAM said.

The EAM also said that the government’s focus is on handling “unresolved issues” with China at the border, a reference to the Chinese military mobilisation at the LAC four years ago.

Asserting that the Prime Minister’s Bharat first and Vasudhaiva Kutumbukam (the world is one family) would be the “two guiding axioms” for the MEA, Jaishankar said, “The world feels that there is a lot of political stability in India which is a “big thing” for a government to be elected thrice consecutively in any democracy”.  He also said that the country is positioned as “Vishwabandhu” (friend of the world) in a “turbulent and divided world”.

Meanwhile, asked about reports that the Maldives is reviewing key pacts inked with India by the previous government of the tiny archipelago nation on the grounds that it may have violated the sovereignty of the Maldives, Jaishankar preferred to strike an optimistic note by saying that he had called on Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu in New Delhi (earlier on Monday) and that he (Jaishankar) would be guided by the conversations he had with President Muizzu.  

On the MEA’s performance during the second term of the Modi government from 2019 to 2024, Jaishankar said his ministry had performed “exceptionally well”, even as he referred to India’s successful year-long G20 Presidency that ended last year. He also referred to the successful evacuations undertaken by India of its nationals including thousands of students from war-torn regions such as Ukraine in the past five years.

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