External affairs minister S Jaishankar, during the 19th Nani A Palkhivala Memorial Lecture, discussed India's relationships with its neighbouring countries, emphasising that ties with Pakistan remain strained due to its support for cross-border terrorism. Jaishankar said this “cancer” of terrorism is now consuming Pakistan’s political landscape, news agency ANI reported.
“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,” ANI quoted Jaishankar as saying as he spoke about the challenges faced in India's neighbourhood.
Also Read | US Consulate to open in Bengaluru on January 17: BJP MP Tejasvi Surya thanks PM Modi, Jaishankar
Speaking about Pakistan, Jaishankar said, “Pakistan remains the exception in our neighbourhood in view of its support for cross-border terrorism, and that cancer is now consuming its own body politic.”
Citing examples from recent history, the EAM said, “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.”
{{/usCountry}}Citing examples from recent history, the EAM said, “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.”
{{/usCountry}}Speaking about India's other two neighbours, Myanmar and Afghanistan, 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.”