• By Shibra Siddiqui
  • Tue, 18 Mar 2025 02:45 PM (IST)
  • Source:JND
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External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar took on the Western countries and the United Nations for their double standards on Kashmir, asserting that an issue of "invasion" has been deliberately reframed as a "dispute". Speaking at a session of Raisina Dialogue 2025, on Tuesday, Jaishankar emphasised the need for a "strong and fair" UN. He was speaking at the 'Thrones and Thorns: Defending the Integrity of Nations' session of the latest Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi.

Jaishankar said when the West goes out into other countries, “it's in pursuance of democratic freedoms” and “when other countries come into the West, it seems to have a very malign intention”. The EAM further criticised the UN for interpreting a case of invasion as a dispute in the Kashmir issue, equating the attacker and the victim.

Jaishankar said that after World War 2, the longest-standing illegal occupation of a territory by another country was the Kashmir occupation by Pakistan, where India is a victim. He pointed out that the international community, including countries like the UK, Canada, Belgium, Australia, and the US, have played a significant role in turning the case of "invasion" into a "dispute".

“We all speak of sovereignty and territorial integrity. It's a vital principle and a bedrock of global rules. After World War II, the longest-standing illegal presence and occupation of a territory by another country pertains to India in Kashmir. We went to the UN. What was an invasion was made into a dispute. The attacker and the victim were put on par. Who were the culpable parties? UK, Canada, Belgium, Australia, USA? So pardon me, I have some question marks on that whole topic...,” Jaishankar said at the Raisina Dialogue session.

He further lashed out at the United Nations for not its compromised stand on the Kashmir issue, saying, "A strong global order must have some basic consistency of standards."

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"We speak today of political interference. When the West goes out into other countries, it's in pursuance of democratic freedoms. When other countries come into the West, it seems to have a very malign intention. If we need to have an order, there must be fairness... We need a strong UN but a strong UN requires a fair UN... A strong global order must have some basic consistency of standards,” Jaishankar added.

Jaishankar further called out the global approach to the Taliban, stating, "Take Afghanistan, so, the same Afghanistan, the same Taliban which was an outlier was welcomed in the Doha process, was welcomed in Oslo, apparently, at that time people were okay with it. Today again we’re going back saying, Taliban is doing all these not so good things. Now, if they were doing all of that, what was discussed in Oslo and Doha? You know you had a British general who described them at that time as they are country boys with their own honour code. Now, so when it suits you to deal with the Taliban, they are okay. When it is not, they are not okay. You are an extremist today, you wear a suit and tie, you are okay. You know, I think I have a problem with that all.”

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The Raisina Dialogue is India's premier conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics. Currently, it is taking place in Delhi from March 17 to March 19. Observer Research Foundation hosts the dialogue in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs