Monitoring Desk,31-Dec; External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar has said, India is seen as a country with a strong economy and an independent nation.
He said, there are lots of expectations from New Delhi as it is seen as the one that solves problems. He said this during an interaction with the Indian Community at Larnaca in Cyprus yesterday, December 30.
Jaishankar said, he believes in firmness in diplomacy and in foreign policy. Dr. Jaishankar said, there is no compromise on the core issues. Referring indirectly to Pakistan, he said, terrorism cannot be used as a tool to force India on the “negotiating table”.
The Minister said, India wants good neighborly relations with everybody but good neighborly relations do not mean excusing and looking away or rationalizing terrorism.
On relations with China, the External Affairs Minister said, they are not normal. He added that India will not agree to any attempt to change the Line of Actual Control unilaterally. He said, the country is facing challenges on its borders and these challenges have intensified during the Covid period.
On the Indian diaspora, Dr. Jaishankar said, the Modi government has been very clear since the beginning, that Indians abroad are a great source of strength to the motherland.
He added that the obligation of India is really to take care of them, to the best possible ability, especially in the most difficult situations. Dr. Jaishankar is on a visit to Cyprus till the 3rd of January.
