S Jaishankar pitches for international relations with Indian characteristics

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar advocated for the development of international relations infused with distinctive Indian characteristics, stressing the need for devoting more time to look at India’s reservoir of culture and knowledge. Speaking at the International Relations Conference in Pune, themed “India’s Strategic Culture: Addressing Global and Regional Challenges,” he posed a critical question about the necessity of dedicating more time, attention, and energy to understanding India’s culture, knowledge, history, and traditions to foster a unique Indian strategic culture in global interactions. Drawing on his extensive diplomatic experience, the minister reinforced his argument by recounting interactions with American counterparts regarding Afghanistan. “I found that even after 20 years of being in Afghanistan, so much of the American understanding about that country was moulded by what was the British narrative of Afghanistan… I actually asked them does it occur to you, have you ever thought why Peshawar is where it is? Was the Durand line actually something because the British Colonial construct was there,” he asked. Durand line is the international land border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. He said people who spent their lifetime in Afghanistan had never heard of a figure like Hari Singh Nalwa, the legendary Sikh warrior of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s empire. Nalwa was the commander-in-chief of the Sikh army along its border with Afghanistan. “And that tells you something. It tells you that they have looked at geography from one cultural lens. Unless we are able to put our lens in place, they will never look at it in a way in which it will serve our interest,” Jaishankar said. He underscored the importance of adopting an Indian perspective to shape global perceptions, criticising the tendency among Western intellectuals to readily acknowledge China’s millennia-long history while overlooking India’s historical depth. He cited Winston Churchill’s dismissive remarks about India and challenged the perception that westernism equates to modernism. Furthermore, Jaishankar highlighted the pervasive influence of British intellectual concepts and traditions, evident in everyday language and references to figures like Socrates and Plato. He emphasised the need to recognise India’s contributions, such as Kautilya’s insights predating Lord Palmerston’s ideas on permanent interests. He called for a reevaluation of global perspectives through an Indian lens to better serve India’s interests in international relations. With inputs from PTI