India Questions Western Double Standards

(MENAFN) Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has sharply criticized what he sees as Western hypocrisy, highlighting their expectation for India to denounce Russia while failing to condemn what New Delhi perceives as Pakistan’s ongoing support for terrorism in Kashmir.

He pointed out that such selective condemnation undermines the credibility of Western nations when they address global issues involving sovereignty and conflict.

During a conversation with a news agency on Tuesday, Jaishankar emphasized India's neutral stance on the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.

“We don’t believe that differences can be resolved through war – we don’t believe a solution will come from the battlefield,” he stated.

“It’s not for us to prescribe what that solution should be. My point is, we’re not being prescriptive or judgmental – but we are also not uninvolved.”

This, he explained, means India remains engaged without taking rigid sides or pushing external agendas.

Jaishankar further asserted that India has every right to question the moral position of Western powers in foreign affairs, citing their historical behavior.

“India has the longest-standing grievance – our borders were violated just months after independence, when Pakistan sent in invaders to Kashmir. And the countries that were most supportive of that? Western countries,” he noted.

He concluded by pointing out the contradiction in the West’s current calls for adherence to international norms, saying, “If those same countries – who were evasive or reticent then – now say ‘let’s have a great conversation about international principles,’ I think I’m justified in asking them to reflect on their own past.”

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