External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar has said that India will not engage in discussions regarding its relations with Pakistan at the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit to be held in Islamabad on 15th-16th October. He interacted with the media while attending the Sardar Patel lecture on governance organised by the IC Centre for Governance in New Delhi today. Dr. Jaishankar emphasised that his participation would be focused on the multilateral nature of the event. Dr. Jaishankar pointed out that SAARC is not progressing because meetings have not been held in recent years.
He said this is due to one member engaging in cross-border terrorism against at least one other member. He stressed that this situation makes it difficult for SAARC to function normally. He remarked that terrorism is something that is unacceptable, noting that if one of the neighbours continues to do it, there cannot be business as usual in SAARC. Speaking at the event, Dr. Jaishankar highlighted Sardar Patel’s historical stance against involving the United Nations in disputes, particularly concerning Jammu and Kashmir, arguing that such actions could allow external powers to manipulate the situation.
He noted that Patel believed it was more effective to address issues directly with Pakistan rather than through international frameworks. He highlighted that, like any other neighbour, India would like to have good relations with Pakistan but not by overlooking cross-border terrorism. Reflecting on Patel’s pragmatic approach, he underscored the importance of realism as the foundation of India’s foreign policy.
