Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar attended the Sardar Patel Lecture organized by the IC Centre for Governance in Delhi, where he discussed his upcoming visit to Pakistan. He also expressed concern over the ongoing conflict between Iran, Lebanon, and Israel.
The Foreign Minister noted that the situation in the Middle East is indeed concerning, with potential repercussions for us. He stated, 'Today, I will honestly say, whether it’s the conflict in Ukraine or the one in the Middle East, these are significant sources of unrest and concern. I believe the entire world, including India, is worried about it.'
Statement Concerning the Middle East
The Foreign Minister said, 'The Middle East now is no longer a land of opportunities, but rather a deep worry and concern. The conflicts here are escalating - from initial terrorist attacks, the subsequent responses, and then what happened in Gaza is very alarming. The conflict is now evident between Israel and Iran in Lebanon, with the Houthis firing in the Red Sea. This has a negative impact on the global economy, disrupting supply chains in one form or another. In this age of globalization, conflict in any region can pose problems worldwide. Hence, it's crucial for the global community to unite and work towards conflict resolution.'
Mention of Sardar Patel
Regarding India-Pakistan relations, the Foreign Minister remarked that like any other neighbor, India wishes to have good relations with Pakistan, but this cannot be at the expense of ignoring cross-border terrorism. The realism demonstrated by Sardar Patel should be the foundation of our policy.
The Foreign Minister stated that the true tribute to Sardar Patel would be that we never lowered our guard. He reiterated, 'There was an Indian state that Patel was not allowed to handle, and we all know what resulted. Correcting this mistake required considerable effort and national sacrifice. Without Sardar Patel, the story of Indian integration would have been very different.'
The Foreign Minister added, 'Sardar Patel was against going to the United Nations. He opposed it in cases like Junagadh and Hyderabad. He firmly believed that India should not bow to other powers for resolving its issues. Sadly for us all, his caution was overlooked... what started as the
