India’s foreign policy should be dictated by national interest and security alone rather than be a prisoner to any ‘Left ideology or vote bank politics’ and it shifted from ‘diffidence to confidence’ the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided to cross the borders after the Uri incident and later, during the Balakot airstrikes, asserted Union Minister for External Affairs S. Jaishankar on Tuesday.
Delivering a talk on “Foreign Policy the India Way: From Difference to Confidence” organised by the Forum for Nationalist Thinkers, Mr. Jaishankar, in his typical manner, tore into the foreign policy record under the erstwhile Congress governments starting from Prime Minister Nehru for not having “clarity on national interest” but going blindly against the West which is “refusing to see basics of diplomacy”.
Mr. Jaishankar also traced the CAA – Citizenship Amendment Act (without naming) — to past Nehru-Liaquat pact towards protecting minorities post-Partition riots. The Modi Government was only “correcting a mistake of giving people rights, but we are accused of taking away rights” even after everyone is aware about the minorities plight there, he claimed.
An “enormous mistake” was also corrected in abrogating ‘temporary’ Article 370 as it only created a “Kashmir and a vote bank lobby”. He also questioned if it was not “faith” that had dictated policy towards establishing diplomatic relations towards Israel or in Prime Minister not visiting till Mr. Modi went there.
About China, though it was the biggest challenge, “we looked away” even after first Home Minister Sardar Patel cautioned Nehru. “I am not fault-finding, but Nehru himself wrote it was inconceivable China would cross the Himalayas to attack. He was more bothered about what people will think when seeking President Kennedy’s help,” he alleged.
“No other country got impacted due to terrorism like us. But, post the Mumbai attack, the then government had decided the cost of attacking Pakistan is more than not attacking,” he claimed. The Modi Government was defending the borders with new infrastructure and putting systems in place to react to any eventuality. It also withstood pressure to buy Russian oil or in joining ‘Quad’ group.
“How many things we can get wrong? Anyone would think that after ‘91 reforms’ socialism is not relevant but the same mindset is prevailing in a party,” he charged. The economy was robust now and there was a sense of “self-belief and confidence in our abilities in the last 10 years which is expressing in action whether it is during Covid or in manufacturing defence goods or 5G technology,” added the Minister.
Nomination
Mr. Jaishanker, earlier in the day, participated in a rally taken out in Bhongir where the party’s candidate from Bhongir Boora Narsaiah Goud filed his papers. Rajya Sabha member K. Laxman was present.
Published - April 24, 2024 06:21 am IST
