Speaking about the challenges facing the region, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar made a veiled reference to China and Pakistan in his address at the SCO summit in Islamabad today.
“If there is lack of trust or cooperation is inadequate, if friendship has diminished and the spirit of good neighborliness is somewhere missing, then there are certainly reasons to introspect and address it,” the External Affairs Minister said. That’s when we reaffirm our commitment most.” faithfully to the Charter so that we can fully realize the benefits of cooperation and integration that it envisages.”
Mr Jaishankar’s comments come at a time when relations with both China and Pakistan are severely strained due to issues of terrorism from Pakistan and the military standoff with China along the Line of Actual Control.
Relations between India and Pakistan have soured as India has made it clear that talks can take place only in a “terrorism-free” environment and the ball is now in Pakistan’s court to end the scourge of terrorism. As far as China is concerned, relations have deteriorated significantly over the past few years following several unilateral actions by Beijing along the Line of Actual Control. There can be no cooperation when there is no trust, and this is what Shri Jaishankar highlighted in the subtle context of the two neighbours.
Addressing all delegates at the major regional summit, Mr Jaishankar also said that “cooperation should be based on mutual respect and sovereign equality. It should recognize territorial integrity and sovereignty. It should be built on genuine partnership, not That it cannot progress on a one-sided agenda.” “If we prioritize global practices, especially in trade and transit.”
Speaking about the “three evils” plaguing our world, Mr Jaishankar said, “But above all, our efforts will move forward only if our commitment to the Charter remains steadfast. It is axiomatic that peace for growth and development And stability is required, as the Charter says, in combating the ‘three evils’ that are characterized by terrorism, extremism and separatism. , are unlikely to encourage energy flows, connectivity and people-to-people exchanges in parallel.”
Giving a glimpse of what the region would be like if these ills were addressed and successfully combated, Mr Jaishankar said, “Let us consider how much we would all benefit if this were not the case.” In Islamabad “Our agenda today gives us a chance.” A glimpse of those possibilities. Industrial cooperation can increase competitiveness and expand labor markets. Our collective efforts can expand resources and encourage investment flows through larger networks The world of logistics, indeed like energy, may undergo a major transformation. Environmental protection and climate action are ripe areas for mutually beneficial exchange, whether it is health or the treatment of infectious and non-infectious diseases, food or energy security, we will all clearly benefit from working together. Are better. Actually, culture, education and sports are also promising areas. “In fact, once we really commit to fostering that synergy we can do a lot more.”
The External Affairs Minister further stressed that “This is not just an effort for our own benefit. We all realize that the world is moving towards multi-polarity. Globalization and rebalancing are realities that cannot be denied. Overall , They have created many new opportunities in terms of trade, investment, connectivity, energy flows and other forms of cooperation, there is no doubt that our region will benefit immensely if we pursue this, others will also take up such efforts. Take your inspiration and lessons from.
