Truth vs. Double Standards.
That’s the real fight playing out in India’s global diplomacy today. And Jaishankar is leading it with fire.
At the recent Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Washington, the message was loud and clear: the world must stop playing favorites when it comes to terrorism. Every act of terror matters. Every life lost counts. There’s no “good” terrorism or “bad” terrorism. Just terror. Period.
And yet, as Jaishankar pointed out, some Western powers still show selective outrage. Their concern kicks in only when it fits their political lens or benefits their allies. That’s not justice. That’s hypocrisy.
‘India-US ties are not shaped by Pakistan anymore’
For years, the India-US story was always told through the filter of Pakistan. Every handshake, every meeting, somehow circled back to Islamabad.
Not anymore.
Jaishankar has made it clear: India-US relations today are built on shared goals, not shared enemies.
They are driven by:
- Economic partnerships in tech, trade, and innovation
- Defence and maritime cooperation in the Indo-Pacific
- Global challenges, from climate change to pandemics
Pakistan? It’s just not the main character in this story anymore.
The West’s Blind Spot on Terror
Here’s the real tension: when terror hits the West, it’s headline news. But when it’s in South Asia—especially cross-border terrorism backed by states—the world often looks away.
According to Jaishankar, this bias is rooted in:
- Old colonial hangovers
- Strategic self-interest
- Skewed media narratives
He’s not just pointing fingers. He’s asking for fairness. For equal concern, equal action.
Because if the world wants to fight terrorism, it must do so everywhere, not just in places that trend on Western news channels.
Quad Sends a Strong Message
India, the US, Japan, and Australia—together as the Quad—have now committed to fighting terrorism in all forms. Their joint statement didn’t mince words. It condemned all acts of violent extremism, including cross-border terrorism, and stressed international law, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.
That’s a win for India. And a signal to the world: the rules must apply equally.
Let’s stop pretending. India doesn’t need validation. It needs consistency. As Jaishankar said, “The days of India being lectured are over.” That’s the shift we’re seeing—from silence to self-respect.
This isn’t just foreign policy. This is India saying: We see through your double standards. And we’re done playing along.
