Islamabad: Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Saturday, January 18, 2025, delivered a strong message regarding Pakistan’s continuing support for cross-border terrorism, which he equated to ‘cancer’ engulfing the country’s political system. At the Nani Palkhivala Memorial Lecture in Mumbai, Jaishankar pointed out that Pakistan remains isolated for its continued act of being involved in terrorist activities.
‘Now Pakistan is isolated in our neighbourhood for supporting cross-border terrorism,’ Jaishankar stated. ‘And this cancer of terrorism now devours its own political structure.’ And he played to what he saw as the subcontinental viewers’ shared stake in getting Pakistan to abandon its approach towards terrorism.
The minister added that India’s progressing advancement has worked on other countries’ relations with India, where several countries desire to restore the historical relations with India. He highlighted the importance of India’s Act East policy, launched three decades ago with Singapore and that subsequently transformed into greater engagement with Southeast Asia and the Gulf region.
On China, Jaishankar spoke about the complexities in the bilateral relations post-2020 from the perspective of the border situation, arguing for more thoughtful consideration in long-term development in relations. Both countries should emphasise constructive dialogue and cooperation, he stressed, rather than letting past conflicts define how their countries interact.
In this context, Jaishankar’s remarks reinforce India’s position of tackling terrorism while advancing bilateral and regional peaceful stability and cooperation. His comments come at a time when relations between India and Pakistan remain strained, particularly after significant events like the 2019 Pulwama attack, which prompted military action.