Terror has distorted trajectory of Indo-Pak ties: Foreign Secy

New Delhi: India has said it had consistently tried to promote better relationship with Pakistan, but cross-border terrorism had prevented these endeavors from fructifying.”The trajectory of our relationship over the last few decades has been distorted and adversely impacted by the factor of cross-border terrorism,” Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao said yesterday speaking on India’s foreign policy at the International Institute of Strategic Studies in London.
A copy of her speech was released by the Ministry of External Affairs on its website.
Ms Rao said good relations could only grow in an atmosphere free of terror and violence.
“A stable Pakistan which acts as a bulwark against terrorism and extremism is in its own interest and also in the interest of our region,” she said.
She described her recent talks with Pakistani Foreign Secretary Bashir in Islamabad as “productive” and “positive”.
On the relations with China, she said India had consciously practised a policy of engagement that had yielded positive dividends.
“Although there is an unresolved boundary question between our two countries which should be settled on mutually acceptable terms, we have not held the rest of the relationship hostage to this complex issue,” she said.
“We have also collaborated usefully on a variety of multilateral issues,” she added.
She also sought to point out that India’s relations with Bangladesh, with whom it shares the longest border among any of its neighbours, had improved significantly over the last two years.
“Our dialogue has yielded benefits for both the countries, in a people-centred manner that stresses trade, connectivity, easier transit, development, and the enhancement of mutual security cooperation against insurgency and terrorism. There is enhanced trust and mutual confidence that oxygenates our relationship,” she said.