External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar delivered a blunt assessment of India's diplomatic stance towards Pakistan during the launch of Ambassador Rajiv Sikri's book, Strategic Conundrums: Reshaping India's Foreign Policy. On Friday, Jaishankar asserted that the era of continuous, uninterrupted dialogue with Pakistan has ended, marking a significant shift in India's foreign policy.
"I think the era of uninterrupted dialogue with Pakistan is over. Actions have consequences," Jaishankar stated. He emphasized that the status of Jammu and Kashmir, particularly following the abrogation of Article 370, has fundamentally altered the dynamics of India's relationship with Pakistan. "The issue today is what kind of relationship can we possibly contemplate with Pakistan? Rajiv [Sikri] suggests [in his book] that perhaps India is content to continue at the current level of relationship. Maybe yes, maybe no? We are not passive. And whether events take a positive or a negative direction, either way, we will react to it," Jaishankar added, according to news agency ANI.
Turning to Afghanistan, Jaishankar acknowledged the strong people-to-people ties between the two countries but highlighted the complexities introduced by international relations. "Where Afghanistan is concerned, there are strong people-to-people relations. There is actually, at a societal level, a certain goodwill for India. But as we look at Afghanistan, I think the basics of statecraft should not be forgotten," he said. He further noted that the presence of American forces in Afghanistan has significantly impacted the situation. ?We must appreciate that the Afghanistan with the presence of America for us is very different from the Afghanistan without the presence of America,? Jaishankar remarked.
Regarding India?s relations with Bangladesh, Jaishankar emphasized the importance of adapting to political changes while seeking mutual interests. "Since Bangladesh's independence, our relationship has gone up and down, and it is natural that we will deal with the government of the day. But we also have to recognize that there are political changes, and they can be disruptive. And clearly here we have to look for mutuality of interest,? he explained.
On the subject of Myanmar, Jaishankar stressed the importance of the Northeast context in shaping India's policy. "Going further east, there is Myanmar, which is both relevant and remote at the same time. And here again, I think the Northeast, the context of the Northeast or Northeast is the overriding one. And we? have to find a balance between the government and other stakeholders, because that is the reality," he said.
