EAM uses ‘cancer’ barb to slam Pak for supporting cross-border terror

A day before departing for the US to attend the swearing-in ceremony of President-elect Donald Trump on January 20, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar emphasised India’s strategic autonomy, stating, “India may be non-West, but its strategic interests ensure it is not anti-West.” He was delivering the 19th Nani A Palkhivala Memorial Lecture in Mumbai on Saturday.

Hitting out at Pakistan for its “support to cross-border terrorism”, he said “cancer is now consuming its own body politic”.

Jaishankar highlighted India’s need to stay at the forefront of critical and emerging technologies. Addressing challenges with China, he noted that both nations, as rising powers with populations exceeding one billion, must navigate a complex relationship. He acknowledged that past missteps in policy —rooted in idealism or the lack of realpolitik — hindered both competition and cooperation with China.

While India and China are currently disentangled from the post-2020 border situation, the minister stressed the need for a strategic reassessment of ties, including mitigating dependence on others in sensitive domains and accelerating the development of national power.

On regional relations, Jaishankar described India’s role as a stabilising force, especially during crises like the pandemic and economic challenges. He cited India’s $4 billion assistance to Sri Lanka in 2023 as an example of its support, even when global help was limited. He added, “In times of crisis, India has served as an insurance for its smaller neighbours.”

He said, “Pakistan remains the exception in our neighbourhood due to its support for cross-border terrorism.” On Myanmar and Afghanistan, he underscored India’s enduring people-to-people ties and the importance of understanding regional stakes, which differ from those of distant powers.

Earlier, the EAM spoke about the wide expanse of areas covered in the ambit of Indian foreign policy and underlined India’s approach to diplomacy in the last decade.