'National Interest Trumps Everything Else': EAM Jaishankar Tells Students ‘Bharat Sarvopari’

Asianet News English

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar addressed students, emphasizing that India’s national interest comes first in all foreign policy and diplomatic decisions. He echoed the mantra 'Bharat Sarvopari', urging the next generation to prioritize India’s strategic and global interests above all else.

Transcript

00:00Forget the Soviet Union. I mean what we did was in our national interest. At that time we were

00:04facing, we were boxed in by a US-China-Pakistan triangle. We had to find a way out of it. You

00:11don't approach the world about being fair and equitable when it comes to your national interest.

00:18On our national interest, our national interest prevails. Even today we are sometimes pressed

00:23by countries to take positions saying some great principle of international relations is involved.

00:28I asked them where were you when that principle applied to me. In the final analysis, national

00:35interest trumps everything else. The last issue, the comprehensive national power, bipolar,

00:40are we being agnostic or independent? Look, to some extent being agnostic is part of being independent

00:48because if you are not agnostic then you get pulled in by one side. But I do think that,

00:55I mean I would argue that even in the past, the – if we – I mean you referred, for example,

01:05to the Indo-Soviet relationship. I mean even with the benefit of Indo-Soviet relationship,

01:13forget the Soviet Union. I mean what we did was in our national interest. At that time we were facing,

01:18we were boxed in by a US-China-Pakistan triangle. We had to find a way out of it. This was not a time

01:27to say, oh let me be neutral and this side has as much value as that side. There was only one side,

01:32that was our side. And that side dictated that whatever we had to do in our national interest,

01:39you don't approach the world about being fair and equitable when it comes to your national interest.

01:46On our national interest, our national interest prevails. So the point there was we took what was

01:53the right decision at that time in the midst of an acute national security crisis. And over the years,

01:59today, you know, we will take positions. Even today we are sometimes pressed by countries to take

02:08positions saying some great principle of international relations is involved. I asked them where were you

02:14when that principle applied to me? So finally, you know, I'm not – you know, it is not my case that norms,

02:24rules, principles don't matter. They do. It is part of a stable management of the world. But in the final analysis,

02:33national interest trumps everything else. And to my mind, that should be the final test of foreign policy making.

02:45I mean, it has to be obviously explained and projected to different audiences in the best possible manner.

02:53But, you know, again, because you mentioned it's a bipolar world, I would urge you to look at projections.

03:02You know, the theme of this Aravali conference is preparing for 2047. Please do look at what are fairly

03:10objective studies where India could be and should be by 2047. It doesn't look very bipolar to me. Thank you.

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