Why India Rarely Talks About Pakistan: S. Jaishankar’s 'Precious Time' Response

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stated on Tuesday that the Mumbai terror attacks marked a turning point in India’s relationship with Pakistan. When questioned about the Indian government's limited public commentary on Pakistan, he responded that there is no point in wasting "precious time" on them.

"India has changed. I wish I could say that Pakistan has changed. They, unfortunately, in many ways, are continuing their bad habits. I would say the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attack was the turning point. I think that was when the Indian public, across political parties, said this is too much," he said.

External affairs minister S. Jaishankar during an interaction with students.(PTI)

On November 26, 2008, ten Pakistani terrorists carried out attacks at various locations across Mumbai, resulting in the deaths of 166 people.

S. Jaishankar stated that after the government changed in 2014, Pakistan received a clear message that promoting terrorism would lead to consequences.

He added that since then, India's global position has strengthened, while Pakistan's has not.

"During this period, we have grown economically and politically, and our standing in the world has improved. But Pakistan continued the old playbook," he said.

S. Jaishankar Speaks on Pakistan’s Involvement in Afghanistan

He mentioned that Pakistan was attempting to gain something from the conflict in Afghanistan while the US and NATO were involved.

"Pakistan was playing a double game. It was with both the Taliban and also with the other side. But, when the Americans left, the double game could not be sustained.

"Whatever benefits they were getting out of the double game that also went down. Moreover, the very terrorism industry they had promoted came back to bite them," S Jaishankar added.

He remarked that while New Delhi is known for its association with technology, Pakistan is often linked with terrorism.

"Our brand today is technology. That is the difference. We will respond if terrorism happens, but why should I spend my precious time on them?" asked the minister.

26/11: A Watershed Moment in India-Pakistan Relations

Jaishankar also emphasized that the 2008 Mumbai terror attack marked a pivotal moment in India’s relations with Pakistan. He stated that the attack led Indians to believe that such actions from a neighboring country could no longer be tolerated.

On November 26, 2008, ten Pakistani terrorists launched attacks across multiple locations in Mumbai, killing 166 people during a siege that lasted nearly 60 hours.

In a subtle critique of the Congress-led UPA government, which was in power at the time, Jaishankar pointed out that while the public overwhelmingly felt such behavior from a neighboring country could not be tolerated, the government at that time did not fully understand or respond to that sentiment.

(This Article was originally published by Hindustan Times)