India Tries To Ensure Ties Across The World, Except With China

Indian Foreign minister S Jaishankar has said each of India’s engagements has its own particular weight and focus, be it with United States, Europe, Russia or Japan, India is trying to ensure that all ties advance without seeking exclusivity. China, however, falls into a different category, Jaishankar said in his address at the MIREX, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Dominican Republic, where he was on a visit from April 27 to 29.

Jaishankar said each engagement has its own particular weight and focus.

“Whether it is the United States, Europe, Russia or Japan, we are trying to ensure that all ties, all these ties advance without seeking exclusivity,” Jaishankar said without mentioning China.

But further, Jaishankar added, “China falls into a somewhat different category because of the boundary dispute and the currently abnormal nature of our ties”.

Making India’s stand clear about China’s activities at the Line of Actual Control, Jaishankar said that is “an outcome of a violation of agreements regarding border management by them”.

“The rise of China and India in a parallel time frame is also not without its competitive aspects,” he added.

The minister said India’s most pressing priorities are obviously in its neighbourhood. Given India’s size and economic strength, it is very much for the collective benefit that India takes a generous and non-reciprocal approach to cooperation with smaller neighbours.