“On October 21, we concluded the last lot of disengagement agreements, we had done some earlier. These are currently in the process of being implemented. The last agreement was primarily around patrolling rights of the two sides. So we think all in all it’s a positive development.”
“We have other challenges to address, including de-escalation of forces but at Kazan on the sidelines of the BRICS meeting, Prime Minister Modi and President Xi had a meeting. It was agreed that the foreign ministers and the national security advisors would meet, so we will have to look at further building on this,” he added.
He also affirmed that India’s relationship with the US will continue to grow irrespective of the outcome of the presidential election. “We have seen steady progress in our relationship with the US over the last five presidencies, including an earlier Trump presidency. So, when we look at the American election, we are very confident that whatever the verdict, our relationship with the US will only grow,” said Jaishankar, who is on a 4-day visit to Australia.
“In terms of Quad, it was revived under the Trump presidency in 2017. It was then moved from the level of a permanent secretary to a minister, also during the Trump presidency. It’s interesting, amid COVID when physical meetings had stopped, one of the rare physical meetings of foreign ministers was actually of the Quad in Tokyo in 2020.” He was addressing a joint press conference with his Australian counterpart Penny Wong in Canberra.
On Canada, he said: “Canada has developed a pattern of making allegations without providing specifics… Our diplomats…under surveillance is…unacceptable… Look at the video. I think that will tell in a way the political space which is being given to extremist forces there.” Wong in her comments informed that she raised allegations with Jaishankar of India targeting Sikh activists in Canada.
