Jaishankar Takes Dig At Pakistan, Says 'Terrorism An Instrument Of Statecraft' For Them

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who is in Singapore as part of his three-nation visit, highlighted the complex challenge of managing relations with a neighbor like Pakistan. Bluntly taking a strong stance, EAM S Jaishankar emphasized that Islamabad openly employs terrorism as a tool of statecraft. 

Moreover, he affirmed India's firm stance in cmobating this issue. The EAM said that the current sentiment within the country is to address the problem of terrorism head-on. Jaishankar said, "Every country wants a stable neighbourhood...we have been unfortunate, or ill-starred to be blessed with the one we have to our west. How do you deal with a neighbour, who does not hide the fact that they use terrorism as an instrument of statecraft?"

EAM Jaishankar On Pakistan

While promoting his book 'Why Bharat Matters,' EAM spoke during an engagement at the Institute of South Asian Studies of the National University of Singapore. Criticizing Pakistan, he called the prevalence of terrorism in the country as operating at an "industrial" and "assembly line" level. "It's not a one-off, different countries at different points of time have experienced this. But, a very sustained, almost an industry level, assembly line...people whose job is to do bad things at night," he said.

'The Mood Is Not To Overlook Terrorism'

Jaishankar emphasized India's resolve to confront this challenge. He asserted that evasion would only invite more trouble. Commenting on India's commitment to address the issue, Jaishankar said, "I don't have a quick, instantaneous fix, but what I can tell you is that India will not skirt this problem anymore...if we have a problem, we must be honest enough to face up to the problem. If you have to have those discussions, we should, if it's hard to find a solution, we must work through. We should not give the other country free pass...in India the mood is not to overlook terrorism." He continued, "If you look at the changes that have happened in the last decade, the great deal of public anger to lack of response to terrorism threat is one factor."

Jaishankar's Official Visit 

Jaishankar's current official visit to Singapore, Philippines, and Malaysia, spans from March 23 to 27. The trip aims to bolster bilateral ties with these nations and facilitate discussions on regional concerns of mutual interest, as outlined in a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs.