‘India Perfectly Capable of Managing Relationship With China’: S Jaishankar

Jaishankar was responding to Europe's efforts asking India to take a tough position against Russia.

Image of EAM S Jaishankar and India-China flags used for representational purposes.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint / Arnica Kala)

India has a difficult relationship with China but it is perfectly capable of managing it, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Friday, rejecting Europe's view that New Delhi's position on Ukraine could impact global support for it if its problems with Beijing increase.

In an interactive session at a conference in the Slovakian capital Bratislava, Jaishankar said that the "Chinese do not need a precedent somewhere else on how to engage us or not engage us or be difficult with us or not be difficult with us."

"Europe has to grow out of the mindset that its problems are the world's problems but the world's problems are not Europe's problems," he added.

Does New Delhi Face a Russia-Like Threat From China?

The strong comments by Jaishankar came amid persistent efforts by the European countries to convince India to take a tough position on the Russian invasion of Ukraine as New Delhi may face a similar challenge from China in the future.

"In terms of the connection you are making, we have a difficult relationship with China and we are perfectly capable of managing it. If I get global understanding and support, obviously it is of help to me," Jaishankar said.

"But this idea that I do a transaction — I come in one conflict because it will help me in conflict two. That's not how the world works. A lot of our problems in China have nothing to do with Ukraine and have nothing to do with Russia. They are predated," he said.

Jaishankar said Europe was also silent on many developments in Asia. "If I were to take Europe collectively which has been singularly silent on many things which were happening, for example in Asia, you could ask why would anybody in Asia trust Europe on anything at all," he said.

‘We Favour Immediate Cessation of Hostilities in Ukraine'

“First of all, you are mischaracterising our position, for example when Bucha happened, we condemned Bucha and we actually asked for an investigation into Bucha," he added.

In terms of what is happening with the Ukraine conflict, our position is very clear that we favour an immediate cessation of hostilities. It's not that we have ignored it unless you call phone calls to (Vladimir) Putin and (Volodymyr) Zelenskyy as ignoring something," he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made phone calls to Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and Russian President Putin on the crisis.