Jaishankar on Friday asserted that India has every right to defend itself against “bad neighbours” that sponsor terrorism, saying good neighbourly relations cannot exist alongside continued acts of terror.
Taking a clear swipe at Pakistan, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday delivered a strong warning against terrorism, asserting that India has every right to defend itself against “bad neighbours” that sponsor terror while simultaneously seeking cooperation from New Delhi.
He said good neighbourly relations cannot coexist with continued acts of terrorism.
No acceptance of external pressure
Speaking at an event at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, Jaishankar said India would exercise its right to protect its security and national interests and would not accept external prescriptions on how it should respond to terrorism.
VIDEO | Chennai: EAM S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar), speaking at an IIT Madras event, says, “I was in Bangladesh just two days ago to represent India at the funeral of former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. But more broadly, our approach to the neighbourhood is guided by common… pic.twitter.com/8GgEmG1rOz
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“But when it comes to bad neighbours who persist with terrorism, India has every right to defend its people and will do whatever is necessary. You cannot request us to share our water with you and also spread terrorism in our country,” he said.
Decisions on response will be taken by India
The External Affairs Minister underlined that India alone would decide how it responds to terrorism. “How we exercise that right is up to us. Nobody can tell us what we should or should not do. We will do whatever we have to do to defend ourselves,” he added.
Elaborating on India’s neighbourhood policy, Jaishankar said New Delhi’s approach is guided by “common sense”, drawing a clear distinction between cooperative and hostile neighbours. Referring to India’s western neighbour, he said some countries deliberately, persistently and unrepentantly use terrorism as a state policy, and India has the right to defend its people against such threats.
Terrorism erodes regional cooperation
Jaishankar also linked terrorism to the breakdown of regional cooperation, particularly in water-sharing arrangements. “Many years ago, we agreed to a water-sharing arrangement, but if you have decades of terrorism, there is no good neighbourliness. If there is no good neighbourliness, you don’t get the benefits of that good neighbourliness,” he said.
“You can’t say, ‘Please share water with me, but I will continue terrorism with you.’ That’s not reconcilable,” he added.
Support for friendly neighbours
Contrasting this with India’s approach towards friendly neighbours, Jaishankar highlighted New Delhi’s consistent support during times of crisis, including vaccine supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic, fuel and food assistance during the Ukraine conflict, and $4 billion in support to Sri Lanka during its financial crisis. He said India’s growth benefits the entire region, a fact recognised by most neighbouring countries.
Jaishankar also spoke about India’s broader worldview, referring to the concept of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. He said India has never viewed the world as a hostile environment but instead focuses on solving problems by leveraging its strengths, competitiveness and partnerships.
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