Where Does Pakistan Stand in India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ Policy? S. Jaishankar Reveals the Bitter Truth

New Delhi: India has always prioritized maintaining strong ties with its neighbouring countries under its ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy. However, questions are now being raised about Pakistan’s place in this framework. India’s External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, has addressed this issue during his visit to Luxembourg, revealing a stark reality about India-Pakistan relations.

Speaking on India’s engagement with its neighbours, Jaishankar highlighted that India consistently supports neighbouring nations during challenging times. He cited examples of friendly countries such as Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, while indicating that Pakistan remains an exception due to its policies.

During his remarks, Jaishankar referred to India’s timely assistance during natural disasters like cyclones in Sri Lanka and earthquakes in Myanmar and Afghanistan. “When neighbouring countries face significant challenges and lack the capacity to handle them, they naturally look to nations like India, which possess the ability to respond. This has increased confidence in India as a reliable partner in the region,” he said.

Pakistan Remains an Exception

The External Affairs Minister further elaborated that India-Pakistan relations are unlike those with any other neighbour. He pointed out that no other country in the region has pursued policies so openly antagonistic toward a neighbour as Pakistan has. Jaishankar underscored the reality about Pakistan in four points:

1. Pakistan provides open support to anti-India terrorist groups, allowing them to operate freely on its territory.
2. For decades, these were not secret training camps but located in major cities across Pakistan.
3. Both the government and the military in Pakistan back terrorism and attempt to normalize it as if it were a sovereign right.
4. Consequently, Pakistan has lost credibility and trust—an uncomfortable truth that India cannot ignore.

Jaishankar’s remarks make it clear that while India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy extends goodwill and support to its neighbours, Pakistan remains a challenging outlier in the regional equation.