UNB :
Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stated that the Indian Subcontinent has witnessed more regional integration in the last five to six years than at any time since the partition of India, emphasizing growing connectivity with Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar.
Speaking at the Sardar Patel Lecture on Governance in New Delhi on Saturday, Jaishankar outlined India’s “neighbourhood first” policy and highlighted road and railway links as part of India’s increasing integration with its neighbors.
He also noted that India’s refineries are supplying fuel to both Nepal and Bangladesh.
Addressing why the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) has not convened in recent years, Jaishankar asserted that despite the lack of formal SAARC meetings, regional activities have continued.
“In the last 5-6 years, we have seen far more regional integration in the Indian subcontinent,” he added.
India remains firm in its stance of not engaging in bilateral talks with Pakistan until the latter ends cross-border terrorism.
Jaishankar indirectly criticized Pakistan for hindering SAARC’s progress, stating, “SAARC is not moving forward… because there is one member of SAARC practicing cross-border terrorism.”
The Indian minister stressed that terrorism is unacceptable and that business cannot proceed as usual in SAARC if one of its members continues such activities. “There cannot be business as usual in SAARC,” he reiterated.
Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser, Professor Muhammad Yunus, recently called for the revival of SAARC as a key platform for regional cooperation in South Asia, urging Pakistan’s participation during a meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
However, Jaishankar ruled out the possibility of bilateral talks with Pakistan during his upcoming visit to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Islamabad, emphasizing that his trip is strictly for the multilateral event.
“I am not going there to discuss India-Pakistan relations,” he said, anticipating media interest in the visit.Jaishankar affirmed that his presence at the SCO summit reflects India’s commitment to being an active member of the organization.
“Since I am a courteous and civil person, I will behave myself accordingly,” he quipped, adding that the summit is being hosted by Pakistan, which, like India, is a relatively new member of the SCO.