The chances were slim, but now it is official. A meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly next week is unlikely.
In his first major press conference since assuming office, S. Jaishankar—at a press conference to highlight the ministry of external affair’s achievements of the first 100 days—ruled out any meeting suggesting that the climate was not right. He also made it clear that India hoped to build a stronger, better neighbourhood, but, had a “unique challenge from one neighbour’’, in an obvious reference to Pakistan.
“Just look at the climate of relations right now and that should give you the answer,'' he said on being asked whether he expected there to be a meeting between the two prime ministers. “There is a stronger connection between national security goals and what foreign policy goals are,’’ said Jaishankar in his opening remarks, leaving no room for doubt that there will be no softening on the Pakistan position.
India was not overly concerned over the international reaction to Kashmir, as Jaishankar made clear. “The international community understands our objective in Article 370. It was arbitraged by a narrow set of people. Separatism helped cross-border terrorism from Pakistan,’’ he said.
Nor were concerns raised by members of the US Congress on human rights violations in Kashmir likely to be an issue. "Beyond a point, don’t worry too much about what people will say about Kashmir. US Congress says a lot of things because people now go to individual members of Congress. What they [say] not necessarily a function of their knowledge on the particular subject…They say it because someone comes and tells them ‘You should say this…frankly, I would tell a member of Congress, ‘You have confronted terrorism what was your response? There is separatism in your history, what was your response? Would you be passive if affirmative action was not implemented or gender justice not delivered…ask yourself the same question,” he said.
Jaishankar has also made it clear that PoK is part of India. “We expect to have physical jurisdiction over it one day,’’ he said.
India might have chosen to take a tough stand against Pakistan, and Jaishankar, spared no punches. “Show me anywhere else in the world where a country conducts terrorism against its neighbour as part of its foreign policy,'' he said. However, there are areas wherein India does hope diplomacy will work.
The Kartarpur Sahib corridor is on track and India will meet the deadline, he said, adding that India also hoped to get Kulbhushan Jadhav back. Reiterating that Jadhav is innocent, Jaishankar said that India agreed to the consular meeting with Jadhav a month later, despite the conditions of the meeting being “unsatisfactory’’ because India wanted to "objectively'' ascertain his well being.
