New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar addressed India’s complex neighbourhood dynamics during the 19th Nani A. Palkhivala Memorial Lecture, highlighting strained ties with Pakistan due to its support of cross-border terrorism, which he described as a “cancer” consuming Pakistan’s political landscape.
Jaishankar emphasised India’s commitment to rebuilding regional relationships through a “generous and non-reciprocal approach,” focusing on infrastructure development, trade expansion, and increased engagement. He cited India’s substantial aid package to Sri Lanka during its 2023 economic crisis as an example of this approach.
“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,” news agency ANI quoted Jaishankar.
However, Jaishankar singled out Pakistan as an “exception for its continued support for cross-border terrorism”. He warned that this “cancer” is now damaging Pakistan itself. He also acknowledged the complexities arising from political developments in Bangladesh, emphasizing the importance of strong regional cooperation to navigate such challenges.
“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,” he said.
Regarding Myanmar and Afghanistan, Jaishankar underscored India’s long-standing people-to-people ties with both nations and stressed the need to consider the unique perspectives of those geographically closest to these countries. 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.”
