PNN – The Minister of Foreign Affairs of India emphasized that New Delhi is trying to strengthen its relations with neighboring countries with an inclusive approach and not reciprocation.
According to the report of Pakistan News Network from Hindustan Times newspaper, Indian Foreign Minister Subramaniam Jaishenkar, in a speech referring to India’s challenges in rebuilding relations with neighboring countries after the separation of Pakistan and Bangladesh, said: Pakistan is still an exception in the region and its policies in support of terrorism have faced serious crises on its borders.
India and Pakistan have fought each other three times since the independence of Pakistan (Bangladesh) from India, and relations between the two countries have been tense many times.
Jaishankar emphasized: India’s challenge has been to rebuild the neighborhood after partition, and this country is now trying to strengthen its relations with neighboring countries with an inclusive and non-confrontational approach, including by investing in infrastructure, energy, transportation and trade.
At the same time, he accused India’s western neighbor of supporting cross-border terrorism and added: This political problem has now affected the internal policies of this country.
The Indian Foreign Minister also said about India’s interactions with other countries in the region, including Sri Lanka and Bangladesh: New Delhi has played a supportive role for its neighbors during crises, especially during the pandemic and economic crisis. For example, in 2023, India provided a financial aid package of four billion dollars to Sri Lanka, while many other countries were unable to provide such support.
Jaishankar further said: India has long-standing relations with the people of Myanmar and Afghanistan, and we should pay attention to the differences in the interests of the countries that are in our neighborhood.
In the end, he pointed out that the purpose of strengthening close cooperation with neighbors is to respond to challenges and complex situations in time, and common interests should be emphasized so that these relations benefit all parties.