Mumbai:
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has once again invaded Pakistan and compared the neighboring country to a 'cancer' that is now affecting its own people. At the 19th Nani A Palkhivala Memorial Lecture in Mumbai, he also spoke about India's approach to diplomacy in the past decade.
“Pakistan is an exception among our neighboring countries given its support for cross-border terrorism. That cancer is now consuming its own body politic. The entire subcontinent has a shared interest in Pakistan abandoning this approach,” Mr Jaishankar said on Saturday.
The Foreign Minister, known for his sharp take on foreign affairs related to India, also noted that India should not lag behind in the development of critical and emerging technologies. “India may be non-Western, but its strategic interests ensure that it is not anti-Western,” the minister said.
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Highlighting the challenge posed by the “weaponization of financial institutions,” he said India needs to increase its internal growth and reduce its external exposure.
Mr. Jaishankar said India sees itself as a 'vishwabandhu', or friend to all, and a reliable partner on the world stage as it strives to maximize friendships and minimize problems. But this will be done by taking into account India's interests, he added.
The minister also spoke about how regional players can play an important role. India aims to develop ties with middle powers and has helped expand its diplomatic profile, Jaishankar said.
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He summarized India's diplomatic approach in three terms: mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interest.
“The past decade has shown how we can make progress on multiple fronts, fostering diverse relationships without making anyone exclusive. Polarized situations have brought to the fore our ability to bridge divisions,” he added.