Pakistan Army is the Core Problem, Not India–Pak Ties: Jaishankar
EAM equates Pakistan Army to “good terrorist-bad terrorist” narrative in explosive summit speech.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar delivered a pointed rebuke to Pakistan Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit 2025, stating that just as Islamabad differentiates between “good terrorists and bad terrorists,” the world can similarly distinguish between “good military leaders and not-so-good ones,” making it clear that India views the Pakistani military establishment as the primary source of bilateral tensions.
Addressing a packed audience in New Delhi, Jaishankar dismissed suggestions that India remains diplomatically hyphenated with a failing Pakistan, urging the nation to focus on its own growing global stature rather than obsess over a neighbour plagued by economic collapse and diminished reputation. “Look at the state of Pakistan today—the differentials in capabilities, credibility and outcomes are stark. We must not hyphenate ourselves with them,” he asserted.
On whether India could have executed Operation Sindoor differently, the minister underlined the self-imposed restraint that defines Indian statecraft. “There are things we do and things we don’t do—that is why we are India,” he said, emphasising accountability to Parliament, media and civil society as non-negotiable red lines that separate New Delhi’s conduct from adversaries who face no such domestic scrutiny.
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Turning to President Vladimir Putin’s upcoming visit, Jaishankar rejected concerns that deepening Russia ties could jeopardise trade negotiations with the United States. “Every major power knows India maintains strategic autonomy and multiple partnerships,” he declared, adding that no country can reasonably expect veto power over New Delhi’s bilateral relations, just as India claims no such privilege over others.
In a broader articulation of India’s foreign policy doctrine, the External Affairs Minister stressed that a rising power must keep all key relationships in optimal health while preserving freedom of choice. “We cooperate with as many global players as possible without surrendering our strategic independence—that, in essence, is the core of contemporary Indian diplomacy,” Jaishankar concluded, reaffirming India’s confident and unapologetic place on the world stage.
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