‘India Expert in Information Technology, Neighbour in International Terrorism:’ EAM’s Swipe at Pak

India is considered an “expert in IT (information technology)”, but its neighboring country is an “expert in international terrorism”, said external affairs minister S Jaishankar in a not-so-subtle dig at Pakistan. He said no other country practiced terrorism the way Pakistan “practices terrorism”.

“We have a neighbour like we are expert in IT (information technology) they are expert in International Terrorism. It’s going on for years… but we could explain to the world that terrorism is terrorism, today it is being done against us, tomorrow it will be against you,” Jaishankar was quoted as saying by news agency ANI while speaking on ‘Rising India and the world: Foreign policy in Modi era’ in Gujarat’s Vadodara on Saturday.

Reiterating the Centre’s stand from when he spoke at the UN General Assembly, Jaishankar said the Narendra Modi-led government’s diplomacy made other countries take the issue of terrorism seriously.

“No other country practices terrorism in the manner in which Pakistan has done. You show me anywhere in the world what Pakistan has done for so many years against India. After the 26/11 Mumbai attack, it is important for us to be clear to ourselves that this kind of behaviour and action is unacceptable and there will be consequences,” PTI quoted him as saying during an interaction with the audience after the talk.

He added: “We are fairly successful in taking along the world in this fight against terrorism. Earlier, other countries used to ignore this issue thinking it would not affect them because it was happening somewhere else. Today, there is a pressure on those who support terrorism. This is an example of our diplomacy.”

At the UNGA, too, Jaishankar had said India was firm on a “zero tolerance approach” to cross-border terrorism having borne the brunt for decades. At the UN, New Delhi also issued a stern reaction to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s views on the Kashmir issue, accusing India of “illegal occupation”.

“Having borne the brunt of cross-border terrorism for decades, India firmly advocates a ‘zero-tolerance’ approach. In our view, there is no justification for any act of terrorism, regardless of motivation. And no rhetoric, however sanctimonious, can ever cover up bloodstains. UN responds to terrorism by sanctioning its perpetrators,” Jaishankar had said.

The EAM had also pulled in Pakistan’s all-weather ally China and said countries who defended proclaimed terrorists in the UN neither advanced their own interests nor their reputation. It was a strong but veiled attack against the two countries, which have on multiple occasions blocked bids and proposals by India and its allies to designate Pakistan-based terrorists under the 1267 sanctions regime of the UN Security Council.

“The United Nations responds to terrorism by sanctioning its perpetrators. Those who politicize the UNSC 1267 Sanctions regime, sometimes even to the extent of defending proclaimed terrorists, do so at their own peril. Believe me, they advance neither their own interests nor indeed their reputation,” he said.