We shouldn't expect smooth sailing all time: Jaishankar on neighbourhood ties

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said India should not expect smooth sailing all the time when it comes to its ties with the neighbouring countries but asserted that New Delhi has tried to create a collective interest to build an inherent stability in relationships irrespective of the regimeAt the end of the day the logic every one of our neighbours must realise is that working with India will give you benefits and not working with India has a cost he said without elaboratingSome take longer to realise some understand it better One exception of course is Pakistan because it has defined its identity under the army in a way it has an inbuilt hostility in it So if you put Pakistan aside the logic will apply everywhere else the EAM said during an interactive session hosted on DD IndiaJaishankar shared a link to the nearly hourlong interaction on his X handle on Saturday night In conversation with a strategic expert he was also asked about the changes in stance of the US and China in the last 11 years and how New Delhi looked at this changeWhere the US is concerned yes there is unpredictability therefore at a systemic level you stabilise it with as many linkages and relationships as possible Jaishankar saidWith China if you have to stand up to that country and we have had some very difficult period so its important to prepare the capabilities he saidThe ties between the two countries nosedived significantly following the fierce clash in the Galwan Valley in June 2020 that marked the most serious military conflict between the two sides in decadesThe minister said one of the really perplexing aspects of Indias China policy was the complete neglect of our border infrastructure in the previous decadesTo have a China policy and neglect your border infrastructure was absurd he arguedAnd that is one of the things which has changed We have today that standing up in defence of our national interests along the LAC It is because we have built the border infrastructure to make that possible Jaishankar saidDuring the conversation he spoke at length about deepening of ties with countries in Indias neighbourhood and increase in reach out to the Gulf nations in the last 11 years under Prime Minister Narendra Modi as also deepening of ties with the ASEAN and IndoPacific regionsHe Modi has given us a goal but also in many ways charted a path to get there the EAM saidJaishankar also mentioned the ongoing Operation Sindhu launched by India to evacuate its nationals from conflicthit areas as military confrontation between Israel and Iran intensifiedRecalling Operation Ganga he said it was the most complex one because evacuation was taking place during wartime in UkraineOn volatility in Indias neighbourhood and regime changes that have been ostensibly not favourable to Indias interests he said there will be changesWe have tried to create a culture a system and a collective interest so that even if there is instability the collective interest is stronger than those who are advocating distancing Jaishankar saidHe cited instances of Sri Lanka and how despite a change in regime bilateral ties are goodJaishankar also said that even after the initial period of difficulties ties with Maldives are betterNepal We are often in their internal politics very often we get dragged in We should not expect smooth sailing all the time that never happens for any country with its neighbours he saidBut you should also not throw up your hands when things get difficult Thats poor planning he saidJaishankar also emphasised that New Delhi is doing the sensible thing which is to create systems create common interests and create an inherent stability in that relationship whichever is the regimeOn counterterrorism and Indias outlook towards Pakistan he said the Mumbai attack was in many ways a turning point and the sentiment in this country was now enough is enough things have to changeThe 2611 Mumbai attack probably one of the worst terrorist assaults on any city was let unpunished the EAM said adding that we had decades of a policy and outlook towards PakistanBut the Modi government changed that approach the EAM said and cited the 2016 Uri surgical strike 2019 Balakot air strike and the recent Operation SindoorWhat we have done is to really create a new normal that the initiative will not always be with you and that you can do horrible things and think there is impunity because you are on that side he saidJaishankar also said that counterterrorism actions and abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir should not be seen as single ideas but part of a holistic thinkingDuring the conversation the Union minister described Modi as a leader of his timesThere has been an evolution of public sentiments the country has changed and the PM reflects that change in mood selfconfidence he saidOn changing stances of the US and China over the past decade he said that what you are talking about are trendlines which didnt happen one fine day they developed over many yearsHe said what India has systematically tried to do is to deepen our posture our strategic posture to have good relations with all major countries but also other regions so that we get into the optimal positionWe have been planning for a multipolar world one of course we desire because that gives us higher profile and more influence Jaishankar saidIn the last 11 years of foreign policy the consistent theme underpinning it is multipolarity he assertedYou need to have that clarity you need to envision the world today Multiple poles are competing but cooperating with each other But here we tried to have in a way the least problems and most benefits he addedThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any 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