External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar discussed and defended India's position on a host of issues ranging from Kashmir and climate change to India's relationship with great powers, including the US and China, in an interview with German news website Spiegel Online.
Here are the main excerpts from the interview with broad talking points:
On Jammu and Kashmir: Over the past 30 years, 40,000 people have lost their lives due to violence and terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. The state’s autonomy, which was based on a temporary provision, ultimately served only a small elite. It prevented many of India's progressive laws from coming into force, stalling investments and job creation, leading ultimately to alienation and separatism, which in turn fed terrorism.
On prevailing communications restrictions, Jaishankar said the social media and the internet have been used to radicalise people. We want to prevent the loss of life, he said.
On Pakistan: The country openly runs a terrorist industry. Prime Minister Imran Khan speaks openly about it and acknowledges that he has a terrorism problem.
On China: Whatever we do, we're not doing to counter China's influence. Take China away for a moment: We would still be investing in Nepal, Bangladesh or Sri Lanka the way we do today. South Asia is lacking regional awareness and I fault India for it, because as the largest country, it shoulders the largest responsibility. For the past five years, we have done our best to correct that mistake. The more connected South Asia is, the better it is for us too.
Responding to the narrative India as a "counterweight" to China, Jaishankar said, "I'm in it because of my own ambitions," and "not to be someone else's pawn in some Great Game."
In the next five years, we will likely become the most populous country in the world and, within a decade, the third largest economy. We have a large share of the global human talent, and if I look at the role digitisation will play in the future, then I feel this is going to be a world where India can contribute more. It's not just a desire for a higher profile. We know that with more weight comes more responsibility.
On climate change: We have one of the most ambitious programmes for solar energy and we help other developing countries achieve their goals. In fact, according to the research consortium Climate Action Tracker, there are just five countries whose energy policies can be reconciled with the 2-degree goal outlined in the Paris Agreement: Bhutan, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, the Philippines and India. We are doing better than Europe.
On the US: We are used to handling different American administrations which in the past haven't been altogether friendly towards us. We approach America as we approach many issues in international politics: with a high degree of realism. At the end of the day, President (Donald) Trump is President Trump. We Indians are pragmatic people.
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