Foreign Minister S Jaishankar said on Saturday that some people deliberately spread misinformation about China because they knew it was untrue for politics and by talking about some lands that were occupied by China in 1962, they gave the impression that This happened only recently. The remarks were seen as a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.Jaishankar Q&A with the audience at the launching ceremony bharat marg Marathi translation of his book road to india, in Pune.
He also said that the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) was a technical matter and that the Indus Commissions of the two countries would conduct consultations on the issue. When asked about the lack of confidence in India from certain political parties or leaders when it comes to China (military confrontation), he said that some people in the opposition party have such thoughts, and he finds it difficult to understand.
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However, he added that sometimes these people deliberately spread misinformation or information about China “If you want to ask why they don’t have confidence, why do they mislead people, why do they spread misinformation about China? How can I answer these questions? Because I know they are playing politics too. Sometimes they deliberately spread news that they know is not true,” Jaishankar added.
“Sometimes, they talk about land that China took in 1962. But they don’t tell you the truth. They give you the impression that it happened yesterday,” he said, without naming him .
Notably, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said last September that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had handed over “100 square kilometers of Indian territory” to China “without a fight” , and asked how the Government would recover these territories. Jaishankar also said that sometimes he was said to have “soch me kami” (lack of understanding), but in that case, he approached military leaders, the army or the intelligence services.
“I’m not going to call the Chinese ambassador and ask for information,” he said. Interestingly, in 2017, when India and China were locked in a standoff along the border with Bhutan, Congress said Rahul Gandhi met the ambassadors of the two neighboring countries. EAM further stated that China, India’s only neighbor, is a global power and could become a superpower in the coming years.
Regarding India’s view on the current developments in Pakistan and what impact India’s decision on inland water transport will have, Jaishankar said that it is not appropriate for him to comment publicly on what is happening in the country.
“In this (Indus Water) treaty, there are commissioners from both countries (India and Pakistan). It’s a technical matter, the Indus Commissioners will talk to each other and after that, we can see what’s the next step,” he said Say Jaishankar. According to the sources, his remarks came against the backdrop of India’s first notification to Pakistan to review and modify the inland waterway, given Islamabad’s “uncompromising” adherence to the agreement’s dispute redress mechanism. Signed more than sixty years ago on matters related to transboundary rivers.
Responding to a query on the failure of a nuclear power and a rogue state (Pakistan) as a hapless neighbor, the Union Minister said, “Just as Pandawas cannot choose their relatives, India cannot choose its neighbours”. He also said that southern countries and developing countries are feeling the pain and India must support them while most developed countries only focus on their concerns. This is why the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) has decided that we (India) must shoulder this responsibility, Jaishankar said. EAM says his book aims to make people understand the country’s foreign policy, not just obey “bureaucrats” (a term usually used for powerful bureaucrats).
He also touched on China and the challenges the country faces with its ambitious northern neighbor, as well as India’s relationship with Japan and its role in the Indo-Pacific region. “There are eight chapters (in the book). I want people to relate to (the country’s) foreign policy. I also want to involve people in other states, not just Delhi. I wrote the book in simple language and it It’s easy to read,” he said.
China, India’s only neighbor, is a global power and could become a superpower in the coming years, he said. “Obviously, when we have a neighbor like this, there are challenges. How to run China is a chapter in my book. I also write about how Japan will benefit us. After the division, the country faced restrictions, but now our Influence is rising to the Pacific,” he said.
Jaishankar also touched on the topic of terrorism, saying no country is as threatened as India because “we have neighbours”, apparently referring to Pakistan. Highlighting India’s now firm stance against terrorism, he cited the surgical strikes following the Pulwama and Uri attacks as “decisive actions”.
