Editor's Pick | West pushing Russia closer to China, says Jaishankar

The world must give Russia more options, rather than “closing doors” on it and pushing it towards a closer embrace with China, said External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Friday. Speaking on the last day of the Ministry of External Affairs’ annual Raisina Dialogue, Mr. Jaishankar also said that China should not be allowed to play “mind games” that deter countries from working with other partners. Hitting out at China for breaking agreements and changing its “behaviour at the border” since the LAC stand-off in April 2020, the Minister indicated that China wants the border issues to be resolved while not bringing other international players, namely the U.S., into India’s strategic calculus. “The mind games, which will be played, would be that it is just between the two of us that no other country should exist in our relationship,” Mr. Jaishankar said during a discussion on think tanks. He said India wouldn’t “give another country, which is clearly a competitive country, a veto over our policy choices...We should be confident enough to leverage the international system to create the best possible outcome”. Mr. Jaishankar’s comments were significant as they come a day after Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane also lashed out at China during a discussion at the INDUS-X forum in Delhi, calling Beijing a “bully”. Mr. Jaishankar was asked about the comments as well as his own earlier statement that a “non-Western” P-5 power was opposing India’s claim for a seat at the UN Security Council. When asked about whether India worries about Russia and China coming closer post the Ukraine conflict, Mr. Jaishankar said that it is a mistake for western countries to “railroad Russia into a single option”. In December, at a meeting with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin in Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping had said that maintaining close ties with Russia is a “strategic choice,” as he called for a deeper bilateral cooperation. In Delhi, Mr. Jaishankar said: “What’s happened today with Russia is essentially a lot of doors have been shut to Russia in the West. We know the reasons why Russia is turning to parts of the world which are not West. Now, I think it makes sense to give Russia multiple options.” Praising Russia as “a power with an enormous tradition of statecraft,” Mr. Jaishankar asserted that Russia would not submit to a “single relationship of overwhelming nature.” Editorials X factor: On the X appeal in the Karnataka High Court On the long road: On the INDIA bloc The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz In the phrase ‘Littoral Strike Group’, the word littoral is associated with which of the following? Missile testing Navy Air Force Army To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 24 February 2024 [The Hindu logo] In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [Arrow]Open in browser [Mail icon]More newsletters West pushing Russia closer to China, says Jaishankar The world must give Russia more options, rather than “closing doors” on it and pushing it towards a closer embrace with China, [said External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar]( Friday. Speaking on the last day of the Ministry of External Affairs’ annual Raisina Dialogue, Mr. Jaishankar also said that China should not be allowed to play “mind games” that deter countries from working with other partners. Hitting out at China for breaking agreements and changing its “behaviour at the border” since the LAC stand-off in April 2020, the Minister indicated that China wants the border issues to be resolved while not bringing other international players, namely the U.S., into India’s strategic calculus. “The mind games, which will be played, would be that it is just between the two of us that no other country should exist in our relationship,” Mr. Jaishankar said during a discussion on think tanks. He said India wouldn’t “give another country, which is clearly a competitive country, a veto over our policy choices...We should be confident enough to leverage the international system to create the best possible outcome”. Mr. Jaishankar’s comments were significant as they come a day after Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane also lashed out at China during a discussion at the INDUS-X forum in Delhi, calling Beijing a “bully”. Mr. Jaishankar was asked about the comments as well as his own earlier statement that a “non-Western” P-5 power was opposing India’s claim for a seat at the UN Security Council. When asked about whether India worries about Russia and China coming closer post the Ukraine conflict, Mr. Jaishankar said that it is a mistake for western countries to “railroad Russia into a single option”. In December, at a meeting with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin in Beijing, [Chinese President Xi Jinping had said]( that maintaining close ties with Russia is a “strategic choice,” as he called for a deeper bilateral cooperation. In Delhi, Mr. Jaishankar said: “What’s happened today with Russia is essentially a lot of doors have been shut to Russia in the West. We know the reasons why Russia is turning to parts of the world which are not West. Now, I think it makes sense to give Russia multiple options.” Praising Russia as “a power with an enormous tradition of statecraft,” Mr. Jaishankar asserted that Russia would not submit to a “single relationship of overwhelming nature.” Editorials [Arrow][X factor: On the X appeal in the Karnataka High Court]( [Arrow][On the long road: On the INDIA bloc]( The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz In the phrase ‘Littoral Strike Group’, the word littoral is associated with which of the following? - Missile testing - Navy - Air Force - Army To know the answer and to play the full quiz, [click here]( [Sign up for free]( Today’s Best Reads [[Congress, AAP finalise seat-sharing plans; together in Delhi, separate in Punjab] Congress, AAP finalise seat-sharing plans; together in Delhi, separate in Punjab]( [[Ahead of UCC, Assam decides to repeal Muslim Marriages Act] Ahead of UCC, Assam decides to repeal Muslim Marriages Act]( [[Farmers halt ‘Delhi Chalo’ march till February 29, to stay put at Punjab-Haryana borders] Farmers halt ‘Delhi Chalo’ march till February 29, to stay put at Punjab-Haryana borders]( [[Ukraine claims it downed another Russian early warning and control plane in a major blow to Moscow] Ukraine claims it downed another Russian early warning and control plane in a major blow to Moscow]( Copyright© 2024, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. 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