PM Modi’s strong message on terrorism adds momentum to EAM’s diplomatic mission to ensure global focus on regional issues as well

New Delhi: With the world leaders in Germany obsessed with only Russia-Ukraine tensions, India managed to place the regional issues such as terrorism from Afghanistan, Pakistan and China’s belligerence at the centre-stage. During his bilateral talks with several foreign ministers on the sidelines of Munich Security Conference in Germany, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar succeeded in underscoring the real challenges that India is facing in terms of terrorism emanating from Afghanistan and Pakistan, and aggressive tendencies of China. “EAM’s all counterparts, whose focus was only on Russia and Ukraine which was top agenda of MSC, agreed to work with India in a more aggressive way to help it tackle these problems,” highly-placed diplomatic sources told The Sunday Guardian. “Jaishankar’s diplomatic mission in Berlin and Munich was to ensure that global focus on Russia does not lead to diversion of the world community from the challenges from Kabul, Islamabad, Beijing and other Indo-Pacific issues. And, EAM succeeded in it as well during his bilateral talks with his counterparts,” sources said.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s strong message and keen focus on terrorism during a virtual summit with Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi on Friday evening also added momentum to the mission that Jaishankar was carrying out in Germany,” sources said. PM Modi condemned the terrorist attack in UAE, reiterating India’s commitment to “putting up a strong fight against extremism and terrorism, including cross-border terrorism in all forms at both regional and international levels.” It was seen as PM’s clear strong message on cross-border terrorism to Pakistan and also as an attempt by him to remind the entire global community of the need to deal with this menace in a coordinated manner. In a bilateral meeting with his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock, EAM Jaishankar at length discussed Afghanistan, Indo-Pacific and threat of cross border terrorism. The issue of the Ukraine situation also came up for discussion, but Jaishankar made it a point to discuss the regional challenges in a big way with his German counterpart, sources told The Sunday Guardian. “Jaishankar shared with the German FM several important inputs on the Taliban ruled Afghanistan and terrorist organisations such as Jaish-e-Mohammad and LeT operating from there,” says a senior diplomat. “Both the ministers also discussed Chinese activities aimed at disturbing peace in various regions,” sources said. Similarly, Jaishankar also discussed Afghanistan as well as Pakistan with his Iranian counterpart H Amirabdollahian. “The issue of connectivity was discussed with the Iranian FM during which Pakistan’s activities in the region including terrorism from its soil figured,” said sources. Jaishankar also dwelt upon terrorism during his talks with Amirabdollahian.

“Jaishankar and his Iranian counterpart held productive discussions on bilateral economic cooperation, Afghanistan and the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear deal.” Jaishankar is in Germany to take part in the Munich Security Conference (MSC). Undeniably, all the foreign ministers from around the world have reached Munich with the agenda of the Ukraine crisis. Jaishankar also discussed the regional issues with his counterpart from Saudi Arabia. So, on the sidelines of MSC, Jaishankar made all possible efforts to highlight the issues and challenges which India is dealing with in the region, asking the global community to pay attention to that also, said a diplomat.