‘Pakistan, China, UNSC Security Council seat’: Jaishankar reveals focus areas of Modi 3.0 government

A day after BJP leader S Jaishankar retained the Ministry of External Affairs in Narendra Modi 3.0 Cabinet, he laid out the ministry's roadmap to handle relations with China and Pakistan and India's quest to get a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

He told newswire ANI that their focus concerning China would be on seeking a resolution for the border issues. He said that India has again faced border issues with China, and the situation escalated in 2020 when Indian and Chinese troops clashed at Galwan. 

He expressed the need for diplomatic and military efforts to resolve the issue.

Speaking about cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan, Jaishankar emphasised India's determination to seek a resolution. “With Pakistan, we would want to find a solution to the issue of years-old cross-border terrorism.”

India has consistently stressed that it will not tolerate cross-border terrorism and cannot overlook terrorism to improve relations with Pakistan. New Delhi has also maintained that it is Islamabad's responsibility to create an environment free of terror, hostility, and violence.

Jaishankar, a key BJP leader who guided India's diplomatic strategies during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's second term, resumed his duties as External Affairs Minister at the Ministry of External Affairs in South Block on Tuesday. 

Jaishankar also exuded confidence that India could achieve its goal of securing a seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) within the next five years under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership. He highlighted the diverse expansion of India's influence on the global stage.

“I am confident that under PM Modi's leadership, the foreign policy of Modi 3.0 will be very successful,” he told ANI, "For us, the influence of India has been steadily growing, not just in terms of our perception but also what the other countries think.” 

The External Affairs Minister said, “They feel that India is truly their friend, and they have seen that in times of crisis if there is one country that stands with the Global South, it is India. They have seen that when we put forward the African Union membership during the presidency of G20, the world trusted us, and our responsibilities are also increasing." 

(With ANI inputs)