India's approach to neighbours guided by 'common sense': Jaishankar
'Most of our neighbours recognise that if India grows, they grow with us,' says Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said New Delhi's approach to its South Asian neighbours is guided by "common sense."
"If you have a neighbour who is good to you, or at least not harmful to you, your natural instinct is to be kind and to help that neighbour," Jaishankar said today (2 January) at an event in Chennai, two days after his return from Dhaka, where he had attended the funeral of Bangladesh's former prime minister and BNP chief Khaleda Zia.
"If the neighbour has a problem, you would like to contribute in some way. If nothing else, you will say hello, try to build friendships and bonding, and that is what we do as a country," he added while replying to a question on India's neighbourhood policy.
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He also shared how India chooses to be with "good neighbours."
"I was in Bangladesh just two days ago to represent India at the funeral of former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia. But more broadly, our approach to the neighbourhood is guided by common sense.
"With good neighbours, India invests, helps and shares – whether it was vaccines during Covid-19, fuel and food support during the Ukraine conflict or the $4 billion assistance to Sri Lanka during its financial crisis."
India's growth is a lifting tide for the region, he remarked, adding, "And most of our neighbours recognise that if India grows, they grow with us."
In an apparent reference to Pakistan, without naming any country, he said, "But when it comes to bad neighbours who persist with terrorism, India has every right to defend its people and will do whatever is necessary. You cannot request us to share our water with you and also spread terrorism in our country."
