Marseille (France): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday said it is “unrealistic” for a third party to insert itself or to offer to do something if two countries are not prepared for it.
Jaishankar was speaking during a panel discussion of an event hosted by a think tank here when he was asked a specific question about a possible role India can play in easing the situation in the Middle East concerning the latest attack by Israel on Iran.
“What can India do? We are a country that has good relations with both Israel and Iran. We have issued a statement, as indeed, have many other countries, about what’s going on. But, I do eventually put it to you that in any situation, not just this one, ultimately, it is very much for the parties involved to make up their minds,” the minister said.
“We are not looking to other countries to sort out what is an issue between India and China,” Jaishankar stated. His remarks underscored India’s stance on managing its bilateral relations independently, especially in sensitive matters like the border dispute with China. The minister was responding to a series of questions at a press conference in Tokyo on the sidelines of the Quad Foreign Ministers meeting.
He acknowledged the strained relations between India and China. “We have a problem, or, I would say, an issue between India and China…I think it is for two of us to talk it over and to find a way,” he reiterated, stressing the importance of bilateral dialogue.
While Jaishankar recognized that the state of India-China relations holds global significance, he maintained that the resolution must come from within the two countries.
“Other countries in the world would have an interest in the matter, because we are two big countries and the state of our relationship has an impact on the rest of the world. But we are not looking to other countries to sort out what is really an issue between us,” he said, referencing his recent meetings with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
