External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar remarked on Saturday that, in an emerging multipolar world, “friendships are no longer exclusive.” He highlighted India’s evolving role on the global stage, positioning itself as a “Vishwamitra” with a goal to foster friendships with as many countries as possible.
“What is perceived as freedom by one nation can be viewed as interference by another and emphasised that sensibilities regarding sovereignty and territorial integrity remain crucial in evaluating international partnerships,” ANI quoted Jaishankar as saying.
“Some friends may also be more complicated than others. They may not always share the same culture of mutual respect or ethos of diplomatic etiquette. We have, from time to time, seen comments on our domestic issues,” the minister added.
“However, the same courtesies are rarely accorded to the other side. What is freedom for one can apparently become interference from the other. The fact is that sensitivities like sovereignty and territorial integrity will always be a factor in evaluating partners,” Jaishankar said.
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Not a dogmatic civilisation: Jaishankar
Emphasizing that India is not a “dogmatic civilisation,” Jaishankar stated that the country aims to build friendships with as many nations as possible.
“India is today positioning itself as a Vishwamitra. We seek to be friends with as many as possible… If you look deeper, there are cultural and historical factors at work as well, including the fact that we are not a dogmatic civilisation,” he explained.
He added, “There is a capability aspect as well, which accounts for the self-confidence with which we approach the world.” Jaishankar further highlighted that India’s approach to fostering these friendships is influenced by cultural and historical factors, including its non-dogmatic nature.
He emphasized that India’s capabilities bolster its self-confidence in global engagement and pointed to three key transformations achieved under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.
US, Japan, and Australia have benefitted from QUAD: Jaishankar
Highlighting the “benefits” that India’s QUAD alliance partners—the United States, Japan, and Australia—have gained from the partnership, Jaishankar noted that these nations have “navigated historical hesitations.”
“The US, Japan, and Australia have benefitted from the QUAD. They are examples of overcoming the hesitations of history. UAE and Israel are from a region that is being engaged comprehensively at last. Russia and France are statements of multipolarity, ours as much as theirs,” he said.
He added, “All these changes in the last decade were much of a credit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s personal interest and leadership.”
“If all these types have changed so much in the last decade, I’m sure you would agree with me that much of the credit should go to PM Modi for his personal interest and leadership.”
“Because, remember, at least three of them had not even seen a high-level visit for three decades. In other cases, there was either pressure on us to limit our interaction or, in a few cases, longstanding ideological doubts to overcome,” he added.
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