NEW DELHI: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday criticised the West’s double standards on the Kashmir issue, pointing out that what was originally seen as an “invasion” had been reframed as a “dispute.” He also underlined the need for a “strong and fair” United Nations.
Jaishankar highlighted the West's contrasting narratives-- “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,” he said.
Speaking at the Raisina Dialogue 2025, Jaishankar also criticised the United Nations for reclassifying the Kashmir invasion as a “dispute,” equating the aggressor with the victim.
After World War II, the longest-standing illegal presence and occupation of a territory by another country pertains to India in Kashmir, Jaishankar said, listing the UK, Canada, Belgium, Australia and even the US as the “culpable parties.”
“We all speak of sovereignty and territorial integrity. It's a vital principle and the 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," the External Affairs Minister said.
"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,” he added.
He was participating at a session themed “Thrones and Thorns: Defending the Integrity of Nations.”
“We need a strong UN but a strong UN requires a fair United Nations. A strong global order must have some basic consistency of standards,” Jaishankar said.