External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, speaking at the Aravalli Summit 2025 held at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), made pointed remarks on India's diplomatic challenges with its neighbours. He noted that India has multiple neighbours, with some being amicable and others "not so nice," indirectly referring to Pakistan without naming it explicitly.

Jaishankar said that "hyphenation happens with a neighbour who is not so nice," referring to how India is often diplomatically linked or equated with Pakistan in global discourse.

The minister elaborated on the concept of "de-hyphenation" — the goal that decisions made by third countries about India should not be influenced primarily through the prism of India’s relations with that difficult neighbour. This means India wants its foreign policy and international standing to be regarded independently, without being overshadowed by the rivalry.

Jaishankar admitted the reality that India cannot wish away challenging neighbours, however unpleasant that reality is. However, he emphasised that the best path to de-hyphenation is for India to outstrip the other party in terms of power and capability. In other words, India’s rise in strength, economy, and global influence should be so significant that the historic equivalence or comparison ceases to be relevant.

He drew on his long diplomatic experience, contrasting the current environment with the 1970s when India-Pakistan equivalence was accepted globally. Jaishankar noted that such views are now obsolete, asserting "nobody talks like that anymore." This marks India's altered international standing shaped by decades of growth and strategic diplomacy.

Jaishankar also discussed the competitive nature of international politics, warning that some countries attempt to exploit regional tensions or try to "balance" India off against other powers for their benefits. He urged that India must maintain strategic autonomy and balance relations internationally, reinforcing its position as a pole in a multipolar world order.

India’s "Neighbourhood First" policy remains central to its regional approach, aiming to prioritise and strengthen ties with neighbours considered better partners. Jaishankar highlighted ongoing connectivity, trade, and energy projects that reinforce stabilising linkages, insulating the region from sharp disruptions.

At the summit, Jaishankar also called on academic institutions like JNU’s School of International Studies to contribute to India's intellectual preparedness and capacity building to support India's emergence as a leading global power by 2047, India’s centenary of independence.

Jaishankar framed de-hyphenation not just as a diplomatic goal but as a consequence of India’s sustained and expanding power, capability, and global influence — a strategic response to the "not so nice" neighbour and the international tendency to view India through bilateral rivalries.

This robust stance by the External Affairs Minister reflects India’s evolving foreign policy emphasis on strategic autonomy, multi-alignment, and asserting its role as a leading power in a complex and competitive global order.

Based On ANI Report