NEW DELHI: External affairs minister S Jaishankar on Saturday ruled out bilateral talks with Pakistan during his upcoming visit to the country for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation ( SCO ).
Speaking at the Sardar Patel lecture on Governance, Jaishankar said that while India desires good relations with Pakistan, it cannot be achieved by disregarding the issue of cross-border terrorism and engaging in unrealistic expectations.
"Like any neighbour, India would certainly like to have good relations with Pakistan, but that cannot happen by overlooking cross-border terrorism and indulging in wishful thinking. As the Sardar demonstrated, realism must be the foundation for policy. India's relationship with China is similarly an issue on which the Sardar Patel's instincts are on record, and they differ considerably from that of Prime Minister Nehru," Jaishankar said.
Read more: 'Don't feel bad when ... ': Jaishankar asserts India's right to comment on US democracy
Jaishankar also highlighted the differing views of Sardar Patel and former Prime Minister Nehru regarding India's relationship with China, citing their famous correspondence in 1950.
In a press conference following the event, Jaishankar clarified that his upcoming visit to Pakistan for the SCO meeting will be a multilateral event, and he will not be discussing India-Pakistan relations .
"I mean, I'm not going there to discuss India-Pakistan relations. I'm going there to be a good member of the SCO. But, you know, since I'm a courteous and civil person, I will behave myself, accordingly," he added.
Jaishankar is scheduled to visit Pakistan for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on October 15 and 16.
Read more: External affairs minister S Jaishankar to visit Pakistan for SCO meeting
The SCO, established in June 2001, is a Eurasian permanent intergovernmental international organisation consisting of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, and China. Known as the "alliance of the East," the SCO is the largest regional organisation in the world, covering three-fifths of the Eurasian continent and nearly half of the human population, representing around 42 per cent of the world's population and 20 percent of the global GDP.
Speaking at the Sardar Patel lecture on Governance, Jaishankar said that while India desires good relations with Pakistan, it cannot be achieved by disregarding the issue of cross-border terrorism and engaging in unrealistic expectations.
Watch: EAM S. Jaishankar says, "Today, we may be tempted to speculate on what Sardar Patel's approach would have been to Pakistan-related issues that came up in the decade after his passing. For example, would he have extended his support to the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, or… pic.twitter.com/SfK0CX5CZL
— IANS (@ians_india) October 5, 2024
"Like any neighbour, India would certainly like to have good relations with Pakistan, but that cannot happen by overlooking cross-border terrorism and indulging in wishful thinking. As the Sardar demonstrated, realism must be the foundation for policy. India's relationship with China is similarly an issue on which the Sardar Patel's instincts are on record, and they differ considerably from that of Prime Minister Nehru," Jaishankar said.
Read more: 'Don't feel bad when ... ': Jaishankar asserts India's right to comment on US democracy
Jaishankar also highlighted the differing views of Sardar Patel and former Prime Minister Nehru regarding India's relationship with China, citing their famous correspondence in 1950.
In a press conference following the event, Jaishankar clarified that his upcoming visit to Pakistan for the SCO meeting will be a multilateral event, and he will not be discussing India-Pakistan relations .
"I mean, I'm not going there to discuss India-Pakistan relations. I'm going there to be a good member of the SCO. But, you know, since I'm a courteous and civil person, I will behave myself, accordingly," he added.
#WATCH | Delhi: On his upcoming visit to Pakistan to attend the SCO summit, EAM Dr S Jaishankar says, "...It (visit) will be for a multilateral event. I'm not going there to discuss India-Pakistan relations. I'm going there to be a good member of the SCO. But, you know, since I'm… pic.twitter.com/XAK2Hg3qSX
— ANI (@ANI) October 5, 2024
Jaishankar is scheduled to visit Pakistan for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on October 15 and 16.
Read more: External affairs minister S Jaishankar to visit Pakistan for SCO meeting
The SCO, established in June 2001, is a Eurasian permanent intergovernmental international organisation consisting of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, and China. Known as the "alliance of the East," the SCO is the largest regional organisation in the world, covering three-fifths of the Eurasian continent and nearly half of the human population, representing around 42 per cent of the world's population and 20 percent of the global GDP.
You may also like
Emirates Bans Pagers and Walkie-Talkies on Flights Following Lebanon Blasts
What Mouth from One Tree Hill is up to now – 21 years after show's debut
'How does your mom do it': Kamala Harris on how she broke ice with her stepchildren
Ghee supplied for Tirupati laddus not made at TN dairy, reveals document