New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said on Saturday that a country should not be criticised for having multiple options. On being asked about India's foreign policy priorities in the backdrop of observations that it is traversing from 'non-alignment to all alignment', the External Minister asserted that there should be no problems in having multiple options and he is smart enough to have them, as reported by news agency PTI.


Jaishankar made the remarks at an interactive session at a security conference in Munich in the presence of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. 


While posing the question, the moderator specifically highlighted India's continuing procurement of crude oil from Russia, notwithstanding Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. "Why should it be a problem? I am smart enough to have multiple options. You should be admiring and not criticising. Is it a problem for others? I do not think so," the EAM said, as quoted by PTI. Jaishankar's response to the Russia question brought a smile to the face of Antony Blinken.


We Get Along With People: Jaishankar


In the context of precuring crude oil from Russia, the EAM explained different pulls and pressures countries face, adding that different nations have different histories and challenges and it is very hard to have an unidimensional relationship.


"I do not want you, even inadvertently, to give the impression that we are purely and unsentimentally transactional. We are not. We get along with people, we believe in things, we share things, ...but there are times when you are located in different places, different levels of development, different experiences, all of that gets into it," he said, as quoted by PTI. "So Life is complicated, life is differentiated," he said. "Good partners provide choices, smart partners take some of those choices," Jaishankar said.


BRICS Grouping Started When Western Dominance Was Very Strong: EAM 


Responding to a question during the session, Jaishankar said the BRICS (Brazil-Russia-India- China-South Africa) grouping started in an era when the Western dominance was very strong, as reported by PTI. The gathering of the world was G7 and you had a number of significant powers in the world which felt that they were not part of the G7 but can also bring values to table.


The EAM said last year, around 30 countries showed interest to be part of BRICS as they saw value in it. There must be something good we have done, he said.


"I think it is important today to make a distinction between being non-West and anti-West. I would certainly characterise India as a country which is non-West but which has extremely strong relations with the Western countries that is getting better by the day," he added, as quoted by PTI.


India Pushing For 2-State Solution For Decades: Jaishankar On Situation In Gaza


Speaking on the Israel-Gaza conflict, Jaishankar said that India has been pushing for a two-state solution to the Palestine issue for many decades, and an increasing number of countries are now not only supporting it but seeing it as "more urgent" than before, as reported by PTI.


The External Affairs Minister described the October 7 attacks on Israeli cities by Hamas as "terrorism." He said it is important that Israel be very mindful of civilian casualties. Explaining India’s position on the conflict, Jaishankar said there are different dimensions to it and broadly classified them into four points.


"Number one, we must be clear that what happened on October 7 was terrorism; no caveats, no justification, no explanation. It was terrorism," he said, as quoted by PTI. "Number two, as Israel responds, it is important that Israel should have been very mindful of civilian casualties. It has an international obligation to observe humanitarian law," Jaishankar said.


Mentioning point number three, he stated that the return of hostages today is imperative. "Number four, There is a need for a humanitarian corridor—a sustainable humanitarian corridor—to provide relief. And eventually, there has to be a permanent fix, a long-term fix. Otherwise, we are going to see a recurrence," he said.


The External Affairs Minister also highlighted India's long-held position on the Palestine issue. "Certainly, India has long believed in a two-state solution. We have maintained that position for many decades, and, I think, today many more countries in the world feel not just that the two-state solution is necessary, but that it is more urgent than it was before," he said, as quoted by PTI.