EXTERNAL Affairs Minister Mr. S Jaishankar has once again made clear India’s definite position on relationship with Pakistan by indicating that India will respond to evolving situations with equal and effective reaction to every action initiated by the neighbour. By dismissing resumption of talks with the neighbour, while noting that “the era of uninterrupted dialogue with Pakistan is over”, Mr. Jaishankar has effectively ended all hopes harboured by the leadership in Pakistan about a relationship restart. The EAM’s statement during a book launch function (“Actions have consequences. In so far as Jammu and Kashmir is concerned, Article 370 is done. So the issue today is what kind of relationship can we possibly contemplate with Pakistan.”) serves as a reminder to Islamabad that New Delhi has no intentions to open up channels for dialogue until there is substantial and visible improvement in Pakistan’s policy towards India. Firmly in the grip of China, the leadership in Pakistan has refused to listen to the sane voices within the country and continues to use terror as a State tool to needle India.

 

A dialogue or even an effort to broach talks with such a nefarious neighbour is totally out of question and India is holding on to its tough stand with aplomb. Mr. Jaishankar’s terse message for Islamabad must keep ringing in the ears of Pakistan’s political and military leadership that India would not be passive when it comes to taking action against any further misadventure by the perennially client State. India’s relations with Pakistan have remained frozen since last eight years when New Delhi stopped all channels of dialogue in face of increasing cross-border terror attacks on Indian Armed Forces. Things were pushed to the brink with attacks on military installations in Pathankot and Uri and India did the right thing by suspending talks at all levels with the two-faced neighbour. The brazen posturing by Pakistan, emboldened by the support from its all-weather friend, was in clear contravention with the model of uninterrupted dialogue started in the UPA era. The Modi Government was wise enough to snap the model whose revival seems unfathomable in the present era. Despite the Neighbourhood First policy adopted successfully by Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi in 2014, reaching out to Pakistan is out of question.

 

Unlike other neighbours who have issues with India and problems within, Pakistan has remained a dirty player with gun in one hand and rose in the other hand. Such countries cannot fit in the Neighbourhood First policy whose basic idea is to use goodwill as a means to achieve continuity in relationship. Mr. Jaishankar also touched upon the close relations neighbours develop and the complications that are developed through this closeness. India’s outreach to Nepal, Maldives and Sri Lanka in the recent months despite having problems on many issues was borne out of the same policy that has remained the hallmark of the Modi Government. It is an effort to keep relations comfortable despite problems. However, the same parameter cannot be applied to Pakistan which uses terrorism and covert warfare to hurt India. Though it is a neighbour sharing a long border it is only a geographical dimension of the issue. Such neighbours do not deserve any sympathy.