The comments come in the backdrop of an increasingly vocal Western voice on the situation in Kashmir.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, speaking at the Mediterranean Dialogue 2019 in Italy has said that in Indian or Asian traditions countries don't comment on the internal affairs of other countries and highlighted the perils of taking "positions" which look like double standards.
He said, "There is an Indian or Asian view on how inter-state relations should be conducted. Whatever your view is about what is happening around the world, you are very cautious about commenting on the internal affairs of people. That has been Indian or the Asian tradition.."
While he said that he is aware of such traditions not being in Europe and North America. "The problem begins when you start being judgemental, the danger lies in the fact that you will be selective with some demonstrations somewhere being fine, but if one has stakes in the issue, the same demonstrations will not be liked," EAM Jaishankar said.
Explaining with an example, he said, "Around the time of 9/11, we had a dictatorship towards the east of India and another dictatorship towards the west of India. The dictatorship towards the east was Myanmar, having sanctioned by the US and Europe, while the dictatorship towards the west was Pakistan under General Musharraf, who was hailed as an ally of the west".
The comments come in the backdrop of an increasingly vocal West on the situation in Kashmir, calling on New Delhi to remove restrictions imposed after August 5 this year. The restrictions, according to the central government, were imposed to prevent any law and order situation which may be exploited by Pakistan to fan cross border terrorism in the valley.
Jaishankar also highlighted the proactive role played by India as the first responders in Nepal, Yemen and on the climate action front especially by bridging the gap between the developing and the developed world.
He said, "In about a decade we will be the third-largest economy. In fact, in five years we will be the most populous country. India is externalising at a faster rate."
This is the first time India has been invited for the Mediterranean Dialogue. The dialogue was launched in 1994 for cooperation between NATO and the seven countries of the Mediterranean--Egypt, Algeria, Israel, Jordan, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia.
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