(Video) Rajya Sabha TV (RSTV) The Big Picture: India’s China-Pak Policy

Topic: India’s China-Pak Policy

Guest:

Prabhu Dayal, (Former Ambassador)
Ashok Sajjanhar, (Former Ambassador)
Akhilesh Suman, (Foreign Affairs Editor, RSTV)

Topic Description:

In this edition of The Big Picture, we’ll discuss the contours of India’s policy on China and Pakistan... In his first TV interview of the year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke at length on the importance India gives to the ties with immediate neighbours and more so to China and Pakistan.

On Indo-China ties, especially after a military face-off at Doklam Plateau in June-August 2017, Prime Minister said that nothing had happened that could be termed as a deceit by China on India... In a further reference to relations with China, Mr. Modi said that new opportunities to have arisen for cementing some cracks in the relations.

Emphasising that India’s principled position for long has been friendly relations with neighbours... but the economic and geostrategic ambitions of the neighbours will continue to shape India’s responses on almost every front.

Turning the focus on Pakistan, Prime Minister Modi said India has never opposed dialogue with Pakistan... and it has been the consistent policy of the country that there should be dialogue on issues.