New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar backed government's current stand on Pakistan while applauding PM Modi's unplanned visit to Lahore to attend the then Pakistani PM Nawaz Sharif's granddaughter's wedding in December 2015.
Delivering the fourth Ramnath Goenka Lecture in the national capital, Dr Jaishankar said, "In the past, every government and PM have tried their best to find a way forward. This PM has done more. His visit to Lahore was both politically and physically risky."
He also stressed that there is no point of living in denial that Pakistan has built an industry of terror to pressurise India. Lauding what India has gained through FATF, he claimed that India needs to maintain its stand as it is in the national interest.
Dr Jaishankar didn't spare comments from certain sections in the west towing in line with Pakistan's narrative on Kashmir post India's decision to abrogate Article 370.
"As we move decisively to combat separatism in Jammu & Kashmir, there is some talk today of its internationalization and hyphenation of our ties with Pakistan. This is thinking from the past, reflecting neither the strength of India, the mood of the nation nor the determination of the Government. Uninformed comments abroad on our internal affairs is hardly internationalization," Jaishankar said.
India deciding against signing the RCEP was based on "clear-eyed calculation" of the gains and costs of entering a new arrangement and no pact was better than a "bad agreement", Jaishankar said.
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