There has not been any other External Affairs Minister (EAM) who has been a better articulate than S Jaishankar in presenting India’s clear stance on every issue. Deflecting all the pressure exerted by the western nations, he narrated India’s diplomacy, which clearly followed a firm “India first” policy.
Time and again, he has been ripping apart every side that tries to paint India in any camp. He has categorically stated that India is only on its side and will do things that best suit the interests of Indians.
Scatching remarks on Chinese expansionist and neo-colonial tactics
On several occasions, PM Modi has vehemently opposed the expansionist tactics of our northern neighbor. Without mentioning China, he once said that expansionism is a form of mental disorder and that the entire world is troubled by expansionist forces. Clearly, the statement was aimed at attacking China’s insane hunger for territorial land grabbing.
Also read: Jaishankar strips the UN naked with scathing criticism
The same sentiment was recently echoed by External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr. S Jaishankar. On November 1, he attended the 21st meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG). This year, the annual meeting was held in a virtual format.
Hitting out at China’s expansionist BRI project, Minister Jaishankar categorically stated that all the countries must respect the sovereignty concerns of member nations. He said, “Connectivity projects must respect sovereignty issues.”
Represented India at the meeting of SCO Council of Heads of Government which has just concluded.
-Underlined that we need better connectivity in the SCO region built on centrality of interests of Central Asian states. pic.twitter.com/9EjQrekpaX
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (Modi Ka Parivar) (@DrSJaishankar) November 1, 2022
Also Read: Jaishankar rips into the United States for their overt support to Pakistan
This firm statement was also reflected in the official communiqué of the multinational group. At a time when all the other SCO members supported China’s BRI project, India opted out of the communiqué referring to China’s BRI. Opting out of the official statement on BRI clearly highlighted our concerns on the matter.
Firmly pushed the alternative of Chinese BRI project
Apart from attacking the BRI project for violating our sovereignty, Jaishankar also pushed for a better alternative to the gigantic failure of the Chinese BRI project. He emphasised that more trade should be done through Iran’s Chabahar port and the International North South Transport Corridors (INSTC).
Evidently, India is a key part of both the project and wants to improve bilateral trade with Central Asian countries through these key transit routes.
In the SCO virtual meet, Jaishankar promoted the Shahid Beheshti terminal at Chabahar and the link through the INSTC as an alternative to both the BRI and transit trade through Pakistan. Earlier, during the SCO summit in Samarkand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticised Pakistan for not giving India “full transit rights” to Central Asia.
Currently, the trade between India and SCO member nations stands at $141 billion, which has the potential to increase manifold if these transit routes become functional.
SCO jointly criticises Western nations for unilateral sanctions on Russia
Apart from that, in the official SCO joint communique, all countries criticised the “imposition of unilateral economic sanctions not endorsed by the UN Security Council.” The joint communiqué stated that the sanctions “adversely affect” the global economy.
This was a direct attack on the Western nations that unilaterally impose sanctions to further their political agenda while ensuring that their interests are safeguarded in the so-called exceptions to their own sanctions.
Concerns with BRI project
Evidently, with changing times, the tools and ways of colonialism have also changed. China has been using its deep pockets to push economically strained nations into debt traps. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is one such audacious flagship programme of Chinese President Xi Jinping. Through BRI, the dictatorial leader wants China to assume a greater leadership role in the world.
India has been firmly opposed to the BRI and has constantly refused to join it. Apparently, the project is nothing but a tool of neocolonialism. The majority of the infrastructure projects under the BRI project have been built with the sole aim of baiting other nations into debt traps.
China’s checks have been luring smaller nations to accept proposals for building financially unviable projects. This finally culminates with China’s generous offer to accept indebted countries’ land for lease for at least a century.
Moreover, a key portion of BRI, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), passes through the illegally occupied territory of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. This clearly violates our sovereignty, and S. Jaishankar has reminded the expansionist dragon that India will oppose its neocolonial tool with all its might, and the project is doomed to fail.
China has pushed many nations into debt traps with its BRI project, but it should also look at its financial papers and realise that BRI is the sole reason for its economic doom.
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