Gandhinagar (Gujarat), Dec 23: The External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, took a jab at Pakistan while arguing that India has struggled with countering cross-border terrorism since gaining independence. Jaishankar highlighted the significance of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist attacks in Mumbai on 26/11/11 as a turning point for Indian terrorism. After our independence, when so-called raiders arrived from all over Pakistan, terrorism began.Speaking to the media, Jaishankar stated, “I believe the Mumbai 26/11 was the tipping point for what has changed in this country today.The most crucial element in stopping cross-border terrorism, according to him, is responding to those who engage in it. Many were perplexed until they witnessed the actual, graphic, and significant phase of the 26/11 terrorist attacks. The first thing we must do now is counter. I am aware of those who claimed, “Well, we had a very cunning plan of turning the other cheek.” That’s not just the way the country feels, in my opinion. It doesn’t seem to make sense to me. It doesn’t seem strategic to me. The EAM continued, “If someone is engaging in cross-border terrorism, you have to act, you have to extract and impose a cost out there.Terrorism has long been a special problem for India, the EAM said earlier today at the third convocation of Rashtriya Raksha University in Lavad, Gandhinagar. Speaking to the media at Rashtriya Raksha University’s third convocation in Lavad, Gandhinagar, Jaishankar said that terrorism has long been a major problem for India. He emphasised the changing dynamics influenced by technological advancements and expressed the continued commitment to delegitimize and combat terrorism.India has long had special difficulties as a result of terrorism. Our objective is to delegitimize it, and we will do whatever it takes to achieve that. In addition, Jaishankar said, “the world has seen that it is a domain that draws particular energy from technology and from technological advancements.” The expansion of India’s interests to support the security of others was mentioned by Jaishankar in his explanation of the intricate nature of counterterrorism initiatives. This could be more extensive, encompassing the Global South in sectors like energy, health, and finance, or it could just take the shape of direct neighbourhood support.Therefore, counterterrorism tests our imaginations as well as our capabilities. We must make an effort to contribute to others’ security as our interests grow. This could be for a broader constituency like the Global South, or it could be for people in their immediate neighbourhood, or it could be in the form of financial, health, and energy support for them,” he continued. Since Pakistan’s formation, relations between India and it have never been normal. India has expressed concern over Pakistan’s support for cross-border terrorism on multiple occasions and has stated that negotiations and terrorism are incompatible.Expelling India’s ambassador to Islamabad and suspending bilateral trade followed the Indian government’s August 2019 decision to revoke Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and divide it into two Union territories (J&K and Ladakh). At the time, Imran Khan led the Pakistani government.
