when it comes to bad neighbours who persist with terrorism, India has every right to defend its people and will do whatever is necessary – S Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister Takes A Jibe At Pakistan

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External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said India has every right to defend its people when it comes to ‘bad neighbours’ and asserted that a neighbouring country cannot ask New Delhi to share water if it continues to spread terrorism in the country.

Without naming Pakistan, Jaishankar said India has every right to defend its people when it comes to ‘bad neighbours’.

“India’s growth is a lifting tide for the region, and most of our neighbours recognise that if India grows, they grow with us. But when it comes to bad neighbours who persist with terrorism, India has every right to defend its people and will do whatever is necessary. You cannot request us to share our water with you and also spread terrorism in our country,” he said while interacting with students at IIT Madras.

At the same time, he said with ‘good neighbours’, India invests, helps and shares, whether it was vaccines during COVID-19 pandemic, fuel and food support during the Ukraine conflict, or the $4 billion assistance to Sri Lanka during its financial crisis.

Without naming Pakistan, Jaishankar said India has every right to defend its people when it comes to ‘bad neighbours’.

“India’s growth is a lifting tide for the region, and most of our neighbours recognise that if India grows, they grow with us. But when it comes to bad neighbours who persist with terrorism, India has every right to defend its people and will do whatever is necessary. You cannot request us to share our water with you and also spread terrorism in our country,” he said while interacting with students at IIT Madras.