'My Mindgames Are Working If...': EAM S Jaishankar Speaks On Country's Foreign Policy Issues

The External Affairs Minister touched upon a range of topics and discussed various contemporary global issues concerning India at large.

Minister of External Affairs, S Jaishankar.

Source : PTI

Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar has responded to foreign media's meltdown over his recent visit to Russia and the post he shared on X, formerly Twitter, after he returned to India. He said there's no reason to see anything that happens other than face value, adding that if people cannot read him, it means his "mind games are working". 

Elaborating on the India-Russia partnership, he said the relationship is an important and steady one. "If people can't read me, that means my mind games are working. But the answer is honestly I see no reason that people should take any, you know what was happening other than at face value because we have always maintained that the Russia relationship is a very important one, very steady one," the minister said.

#WATCH | On Western media's reaction to his visit to Russia, EAM Dr Jaishankar says, "If people can't read me, that means my mind games are working. I see no reason we should take anything other than at face value because we have always maintained that the Russia relationship is… pic.twitter.com/FozTZdTSne

— ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2024

Speaking to ANI in an interview, Jaishankar said he has written this in his book and "I mean I said it in Moscow. I said it in publicly in Moscow even before my meeting with President Putin happened which is that we value this relationship. It is relationship that has served India well."

On foreign media’s reportage of India, he said "...That is a mind game…I am not saying we are perfect. I am not saying we don't have room for improvement... But look at their motive and agenda. They are not agenda-less, they are not motiveless. They are trying to push a certain line because they have a certain interest. Do not necessarily take what comes in the foreign media at face value... If anything, I could be passing judgements on a whole lot of other democracies."

#WATCH | On foreign media’s reportage of India, EAM Dr S Jaishankar says, "...That is a mind game…I am not saying we are perfect. I am not saying we don't have room for improvement... But look at their motive and agenda. They are not agenda-less, they are not motiveless. They… pic.twitter.com/yEI3Q0FeTz

— ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2024

"Just look at it this way. There are people who apparently feel more confident of their support outside India, and inside India, they get support from outside India. So we have this constant barrage. We've had this from 2014, it increased up to 2019. I'm sure it will become very shrill as we lead up to the summer of 2024, who will constantly come at you and say you are less of a democracy? They'll pick what they believe are flaws or failings that we have. Again, we must have the confidence to judge it," Jaishankar said, quoted ANI.

He further said, "I'm not saying we're perfect. I'm not saying we don't have room for improvement. Everybody does. We certainly do. But I would say, please look at their motive and their agenda. They are not agenda-less, they are not motive-less, they are trying to push a certain line because they have a certain interest, so don't necessarily take what comes in foreign media at face value...because when you look at the multiple standards that they practice....you are talking of state of democracy in this country, give me any yardstick of democracy. Are your elections fair, is your participation growing. Are broader and broader sections involved, are your institutions working. I would say I am doing as well as any other democracy. Frankly, if anything, I could be passing judgement on whole lot of other....," he added.

The EAM touched upon a range of topics and discussed various contemporary global issues concerning India at large.

 

'Cross Border-Terrorism Pakistan's Core Policy'

Talking about Pakistan, EAM S Jaishankar said that Pakistan has been trying to use cross-border terrorism to bring India to the table. "That, in essence, was its core policy. We have made that irrelevant by not playing that game now. It's not a case that we won't deal with a neighbour," he said.

"After all, at the end of the day, a neighbour is a neighbour, but it is that we will not deal on the basis of terms that they set where the practice of terrorism is deemed as legitimate and effective in order to bring you to the table," Jaishankar added.

"...and allowed to indulge in activities, which I think are damaging to the relationship (India-Canada) clearly, not in India's interest, but I would argue are not in Canada's interest either..." he added, quoted ANI.

 

Canada Politics Gave Space To Khalistanis: Jaishankar

The foreign affairs minister shared his views on the India-Canada diplomatic standoff over the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. He said Canadian politics have given space to Khalistani forces and also allowed them to indulge in activities that adversely impact bilateral relations between India and Canada. 

#WATCH | On India-Canada ties & Khalistani issue, EAM Jaishankar in an interview to ANI says, "...The issue at heart is the fact that in Canadian politics the Khalistani forces have been given a lot of space. And allowed to indulge in activities, which I think are damaging to the… pic.twitter.com/zzcWABgO34

— ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2024

"The issue at heart is the fact that in Canadian politics, these Khalistani forces have been given a lot of space and have been allowed to indulge in activities which I think are damaging to the relationship, clearly not in India's interest, and not in Canada's interest either. But unfortunately, that is the state of their politics," EAM Jaishankar said, quoted ANI.

 

Jaishankar On Dealing With China

The minister also explained different approaches that were taken to deal with China during the first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru's tenure and those taken during PM Narendra Modi's rule in the country. He said India should deal with China on the basis of realism and asserted that the relationship should be based on the three mutual understandings- respect, sensitivity, and interest.

#WATCH | EAM Dr S Jaishankar on Nehru Vs Sardar Patel’s “attitude” on China and what policy the Modi govt follows

“If we talk about foreign policy, we’ve had a strain of realism and non-realism about China. It begins from day one where there is a sharp difference of opinion on… pic.twitter.com/duYydJXgt9

— ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2024

"I argue for dealing with China from a basis of realism -- that strain of realism, which I feel -- strains all the way from Sardar Patel to Narendra Modi -- that is the strain of realism which I feel should allow us to have a certain approach," said Jaishankar, as per ANI.

#WATCH | On being asked if India always lost to China at the mind games, EAM Dr S Jaishankar says, "I don't think we always lost out, but at various points of time, when we talk about the parts of the past today would be very difficult to understand, Panchsheel agreement is… pic.twitter.com/eEzjwLKidK

— ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2024

"I would say that the Modi Government has been very much more and in conformity with a strain of realism, which originated from Sardar Patel," he said.

He highlighted the difference in the approach of India's first Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, Sardar Patel and former PM Nehru. "Even when it came, for example to the UN Security Council seat, it's not my case that we should have necessarily taken the seat, it's a different debate, but to say that we should first let China -- China's interest should come first, it's a very peculiar statement to make," the minister said.