Agencies | New Delhi:
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has said India’s relations with neighbouring countries must be guided by mutual interest and mutual respect, stressing that New Delhi does not expect its neighbours to always act in India’s favour.
Speaking at the Economic Times World Leaders Forum, Jaishankar said durable bilateral relationships depend on both sides recognising each other’s interests and finding common ground.
Responding to a question on Bangladesh’s demand for the extradition of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Jaishankar avoided discussing the specifics of ongoing diplomatic conversations but emphasised the broader principle governing India’s relations with its neighbours.
“What I can tell you is for any relationship to work, it has to meet the test of mutual interest. It has to work for them, it has to work for us,” he said.
Jaishankar said India was realistic about its neighbourhood and understood that neighbouring countries would pursue their own national interests.
“There has to be a fair degree, a reasonable degree of my recognising and respecting what is their interest, just as I expect them also to do so,” he said.
According to the minister, once countries identify a “landing point” or common ground, bilateral relations can move forward more smoothly.
Jaishankar’s remarks come amid efforts to manage India-Bangladesh relations, which have faced considerable strain in recent years.
India has invited Tarique Rahman for a bilateral visit as well as to attend the upcoming BRICS Summit in his capacity as chair of BIMSTEC. Plans for a visit next week reportedly did not materialise, with discussions continuing on possible dates later this month or in early September.
Rahman’s proposed visit is being viewed as significant for efforts to reset bilateral ties. Sheikh Hasina’s presence in India remains one of the sensitive issues in relations between New Delhi and Dhaka.
On Pakistan, Jaishankar took a considerably tougher position, saying terrorism remained central to how India assesses its relationship with its western neighbour.
He said the Indian government had to take public sentiment into account, particularly given widespread concerns over terrorism originating from Pakistan.
Asked about improving Pakistan-US relations and their potential implications for India, Jaishankar acknowledged the long history of ties between Washington and Islamabad but singled out Pakistan over its alleged use of terrorism against India.
“Pakistan is unique not because it’s a neighbour of India,” he said, arguing that Pakistan was distinctive because of what he described as the systematic and sustained use of terrorism against another neighbouring country.
Jaishankar’s comments underline New Delhi’s position that any improvement in ties with Islamabad would remain closely linked to the security situation and the issue of cross-border terrorism.
The External Affairs Minister also addressed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement involving Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, saying India would take developments of this nature into account while assessing its security environment.
He questioned what the agreement would ultimately mean in the context of the “live military situations” faced by its signatories, while making it clear that New Delhi would consider every relevant strategic development.
“In my calculus, everything counts, everything will have a weight,” Jaishankar said.
He added that actions by countries perceived as unfriendly to India would naturally form part of New Delhi’s strategic calculations.
On China, Jaishankar reiterated that the situation along the India-China border would remain a key factor in determining the broader relationship between the two countries.
He noted that India and China are major economies, participate in global supply chains, have significant economic interactions and share an interest in maintaining stability.
However, he pointed to the difficult period between 2020 and 2024, which he attributed primarily to developments along the border.
“At the end of the day, peace and tranquillity in the border areas is a prerequisite for good relations,” he said.
Jaishankar also acknowledged reports of Indian businesspeople facing difficulties in obtaining Chinese visas, saying the issue had been raised with Beijing.
While emphasising the importance of engagement, Jaishankar said India must simultaneously strengthen its own capabilities.
“The world is competitive, we must build up our strengths,” he said, adding that India needed to engage confidently with the international community, including China.
He said India would continue to deal with China firmly and “stand our ground”, pointing to the country’s approach along the border.
Taken together, Jaishankar’s remarks presented a clear message about India’s neighbourhood policy: engagement remains essential, but it must be balanced with reciprocity, national interest and security considerations.
Whether dealing with Bangladesh, Pakistan or China, New Delhi’s approach, he suggested, would be shaped by the actions and interests of its neighbours as much as by its own strategic priorities.
