S. Jaishankar holds constructive discussions with Foreign Ministers of China, Indonesia and the US
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had a lot on his table this week as he travelled to Indonesia’s Jakarta to attend Foreign Ministers’ Meetings of the Association of the SouthEast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the format, ASEAN-India, East Asia Summit and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) on July 13-14.
Jaishankar met with the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the sidelines of the ASEAN meet, and discussed comprehensively on multiple issues of Myanmar, Ukraine and the Indo-Pacific, along with a follow up on PM Narendra Modi’s recent visit to the US.
He also exchanged views on the issues of the Ukraine conflict and the Myanmar situation with Josep Borrell Fontelles, Vice-President of the European Union and the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs. Regarding Myanmar, Jaishankar asserted that India will strive to maintain peace and stability along the border areas and focus on projects undertaken by the India-ASEAN community.Â
In tandem with the East Asia Summit, Jaishankar also held talks with Wang Yi, CPC Central Commission for Foreign Affairs regarding the ‘outstanding issues’ persisting along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The emphasis was on resolving the standoff consistent for almost 3 years and reestablishing peace and tranquillity along the LAC.Â
Fresh round of talks between India and China regarding the stalemate on the LAC were held in June, along with discussion on the other friction points of Depsang and Demchok. India has maintained the stand that the strain on the relationship can be released only when the situation is normalised on the LAC.
While addressing the EAS meeting, S. Jaishankar, with an allusion to China, emphasised on the importance of having an ‘open, inclusive and rules-based’ Indo-Pacific. He affirmed that India strongly supported the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) and recognized the centrality of ASEAN in the Indo-Pacific. He also highlighted ASEAN’s significance as an essential pillar of India’s Act East Policy.Â
Image Source: Outlook India
Jaishankar also met Indonesian President Joko Widodo and conveyed PM Modi’s personal greeting to him. He also said that India wholeheartedly supported Indonesia’s leadership of the summit. On Wednesday, a meeting between ASEAN Secretary General Kao Kim Hourn and Jaishankar saw discussion on potential India-ASEAN dialogues in the domains of cyber security, finance and maritime security.
Talks with the Russian counterpart led to discussions within the framework of BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
Jaishankar on terrorism
In his address in the ASEAN Regional Forum meeting, Jaishankar reiterated that India’s response to global challenges included advancing global cooperation and delegitimization to counter-terrorism. In a veiled jibe to Pakistan, he urged the members of the Forum to adhere to a united, zero-tolerance approach towards terrorism, including strict action against terror financing, cross-border terrorism and countries providing a safe haven to terror networks. He also stressed upon ‘diplomacy to address conflicts’.
Closing the ASEAN meetings, Jaishankar will travel to Bangkok, Thailand to take part in the Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) Mechanism’s 12th Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on July 16.
