Jaishankar: ‘Bharat First’ & ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ to guide Indian foreign policy

New Delhi: India will prioritise resolving the remaining issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stated on Tuesday. This announcement comes amid a protracted border dispute in eastern Ladakh that

has significantly strained relations between the two Asian powers.

Speaking shortly after assuming office for a second term, Jaishankar emphasised the need to address cross-border terrorism from Pakistan, asserting that support for terrorism “cannot be the policy of a good neighbour.”

Jaishankar, 69, retained his position among other senior BJP leaders, including Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari, and Nirmala Sitharaman, who continued to lead their respective ministries from the previous government.

He highlighted that “Bharat First” (India First) and Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family) would be the guiding principles of India’s foreign policy under the new government.

“Our approach to Pakistan and China will be distinct, as the nature of our relations and the issues we face with each are different,” Jaishankar said in response to a question about the new government’s strategy towards the two countries.

Regarding China, he stated, “Our focus will be on the border situation — there are still some unresolved issues, and we aim to address them.”

The Indian and Chinese militaries have been in a standoff since May 2020,

and although disengagement has occurred at several friction points, a full resolution of the border dispute remains elusive.