Twitter: @the_news_21
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar called China an ‘unusual neighbour’ as he discussed ways to tackle the country, which according to him if it becomes a superpower, may have its own challenges.
Speaking at an event in Pune for the release of his English book “The India Way: Strategies for an Uncertain World,” which has been translated into Marathi as ‘Bharat Marg’, he said, “China is an unusual neighbour. We have many neighbours but China may become global power or superpower. Living next to global power has own challenges.” He said that there are political, economic and technological ways to manage China in the book.
Further, as he talked about national security, Jaishankar underlined how India has suffered due to terrorism as compared to other countries.
“At times there’re challenges to national security requiring decisive steps. An obvious example of it is terrorism, we all know how much India has suffered due to terrorism as compared to other countries because other countries don’t have a neighbour like the one we have,” Jaishankar said during the event, as he took a sharp dig at Pakistan.
“It is a reality to us….Pandavas could not choose relatives, we can’t choose our neighbours. Naturally, we hope good sense prevails” said EAM Jaishankar when asked if “rogue nation (Pakistan), who happens to be nuclear power, the neighbour will be assets or a liability.” Pakistan has received backlash from the global community for its inefficiency in combatting terrorism. It needs to mend its ways in order to have other countries aid it in times of distress. Pakistan now has very few allies, out of which Turkey is not in a position to help Pakistan, and China never gives grants but only loans.
Speaking about rules-based order, he said, “Karan and Duryodhan are violating rules-based order.” Karan and Duryodhan’s friendship did not benefit either of them or their families. It didn’t make any positive impact on society.
Moreover, it devoured their lives and caused massive destruction, irreversible damage and abysmal suffering to their kith and kin.
China’s efforts to reclaim and militarize disputed outposts in the South China Sea, its willingness to use coercion and intimidation along with other provocative actions undertaken to enforce its expansive and unlawful South China Sea maritime claims, undermine the peace and security of the region. Beijing has offered no coherent legal basis for its expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea.
A rules-based order may generally be understood as a shared commitment by States to conduct their activities in accordance with an existing set of rules. The rules-based order is underpinned by a system of global governance that has developed since the Second World War.
Jaishankar also explained “tactical adjustment” by giving examples of Yudhisthira lying about Ashwathama’s death.
He also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for making him the External Affairs Minister.
“Being the foreign secretary was the limit of my ambition, never even dreamt of becoming a minister” says EAM Jaishankar. Thanking PM Modi, points, “not sure any PM, other than Narendra Modi would have made me minister.”