Engaging America, Managing China, Reassuring Russia Complicated: Jaishankar On External Flux
Jaishankar also highlighted the government's push to bolster relations with countries in the extended neighbourhood like the Gulf, Central and Southeast Asia.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday highlighted the churn and maneuvering in India's foreign policy amid global geopolitical shifts. Drawing a parallel with local coalition politics, the minister said a multipolar world has similar flux as countries align on issue-based objectives.
"Engaging America has become more complicated. You all know why. Managing China has become complicated. Reassuring Russia became complicated because of the Ukraine war, the pressure on us to move away from Russia. Europe is one very important partner with whom we need to make more effort," Jaishankar said at an event in Pune.
"The world today is like an era of coalition politics. No coalition has a majority. So what happens is that constantly combinations are formed, deals are struck, somebody is up, somebody is down, some issue comes up. Multipolar world is like having many parties," he said, adding India must work towards achieving its goals and in line with its prinicples.
Jaishankar also briefly addressed the situation in India's neighbourhood, saying, "Politics happens there too. Things go up and down. Sometimes they praise us, sometimes they criticise us. Because we are actually an issue in their politics as well."
India's relations with Bangladesh and Nepal has been turbulent in the past two years, since public revolt against governments seen to be too close to New Delhi were toppled.
Jaishankar also highlighted the government's push to bolster relations with countries in the extended neighbourhood like the Gulf, Central and Southeast Asia.
"... wherever you go, in the Gulf, in Southeast Asia, in the Indian Ocean, in Central Asia, look for the impact, the imprint of India. You will be surprised how much the imprint of India is there... The biggest Hindu temple is not in this country; it is in Cambodia... So, my point is, when you look at foreign policy, you must have clarity, you have to make the choices. As I said, you must have a game plan," he said.
