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BIG STORY OCTOBER 04, 2024 | The Indian Eye 5

can have international implications.
“The world is very globalized,” he India engages with new
noted. “As a result, the politics of Sri Lanka President;
any country doesn’t necessarily stay
within the national boundaries of the Jaishankar to attend SCO
country, adding that “Now, the Unit- meeting in Islamabad
ed States, of course, makes a special
effort to ensure it doesn’t. That’s part xternal Affairs Minister S
of how you’ve conducted your foreign Jaishankar called on Sri
policy over many years.” ELankan President Anura
Jaishankar’s comments come Kumara Dissanayake in Colombo
amid ongoing discussions on the on Friday. The two leaders dis-
US-India relationship. He empha- cussed ways to deepen coopera-
sized that foreign interference is a tion and strengthen bilateral ties to
critical concern and stated, foreign in- benefit the people of India and Sri
terference is foreign interference. Lanka. During the meeting, Jais-
“But if you look at a state-to-state, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken hankar conveyed warm greetings
government-to-government level, we during the meeting, in Washington DC on Tuesday (ANI) of Prime Minister Narendra Modi
think it’s important that democracies and President Droupadi Murmu to
are mutually respectful. It cannot en efforts. The USCIRF would also visited Russia in July and Ukraine in Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
In a post on X, Jaishankar stat-
be that one democracy has a right to be well advised to utilize its time more August this year. ed, “Honored to call on President @
comment on another, and that’s part productively on addressing human Notably, India has maintained a anuradisanayake today in Colombo.
about promoting democracy global- rights issues in the United States,” the firm position in the Russia-Ukraine Conveyed warm greetings of Presi-
ly,” he said. statement added. conflict. New Delhi has emphasized dent Droupadi Murmu and PM
Jaishankar’s visit to Washington Another contentious issue be- the need for sincere and practical en- @narendramodi. Appreciate his
comes on the heels of last week’s Quad tween India and US has been the war gagement between all stakeholders warm sentiments and guidance for
Summit and a spate of high-level meet- in Ukraine as India has continued to to develop innovative solutions that the India-Sri Lanka relations. Dis-
ings coinciding with the United Na- have friendly and business relations will have broad acceptability and con- cussed ways to deepen ongoing co-
tions General Assembly in New York. with Russia. tribute towards the early restoration operation and strengthen India-Sri
Jaishankar also made it clear that As the US pressures India on of peace in the Ukraine conflict that Lanka ties for the benefit of people
India has never actively targeted the these issues, the External Affairs Min- started in February 2022. of two countries and the region.”
dollar and that’s not part of its eco- ister opened up on India’s position Even US Secretary of State An- After arrival in Colombo, Jais-
nomic, political or strategic policy, but and said that New Delhi is playing its thony Blinken noted Prime Minister hankar held a bilateral meeting
some of the American policies make role in the resolution of the conflict by Narendra Modi’s August visit to Kyiv with Sri Lankan counterpart Vi-
it difficult for New Delhi to do busi- assisting in communication between and reiterated the importance of a just jitha Herath, where both leaders
ness with its partners. Jaishankar was the two sides. The Foreign Minister, and lasting peace for Ukraine. discussed a range of matters of mu-
responding to a question on de-dol- referring to Prime Minister Naren- As India emerges as a major glob- tual interest.
larization at Carnegie Endowment for dra Modi’s recent visits, emphasized al player, it is choosing a path of its During the meeting, Jaishan-
International Peace. that there are not many leaders who own without taking sides and refusing kar conveyed India’s continued
In another development on can visit both Russia and Ukraine and to come under pressure from any oth- support for Sri Lanka’s economic
Thursday, the Ministry of External Af- hold talks with their leaders. PM Modi er power. rebuilding, emphasizing the impor-
fairs has rubbished the United States tance of their bilateral partnership.
Commission on International Reli- Also, the Ministry of External
gious Freedom’s (USCIRF) report on Affairs on Friday said that External
religious freedom in India, terming it Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will
“malicious,” which discredits the orga- be travelling to Pakistan to attend
nization further. It further called US- the Shanghai Cooperation Organi-
CIRF a “biassed organization” with a zation (SCO) summit scheduled to
political agenda, which continues to take place in October.
misrepresent facts and peddles a “mo- On being asked about India’s
tivated narrative” about India. participation in the upcoming SCO
“Our views on the United States Summit, the MEA Spokesperson
Commission on International Reli- Randhir Jaiswal said, “EAM Jais-
gious Freedom (USCIRF) are well hankar will lead a delegation to
Pakistan to participate in the SCO
known. It is a biased organization summit which will be held in Islam-
with a political agenda. It continues to abad on October 15-16...”
misrepresent facts and peddles a mo- Earlier in August, India re-
tivated narrative about India. We re- ceived an invitation from Pakistan
ject this malicious report, which only for the SCO Council of Heads of
serves to discredit USCIRF further,” Government (CHG) in-person
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal meeting.
said in a statement on Thursday. Earlier in May 2023, Pakistan
The MEA also urged USCIRF Foreign Minister Billawal Bhutto
to desist from such “agenda driven Zardari had visited India for the
efforts” and utilize time more pro- SCO meeting in Goa. This was the
ductively on addressing human rights PM Modi receives the Apostle the First-Called, Russia’s highest civilian honor first visit by a Foreign Minister of
issues in the US. “We would urge US- from President Putin in July 2024 Pakistan to India in six years.
CIRF to desist from such agenda driv-

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