Wed Apr 16 07:11:48 UTC 2025: **Jaishankar: 2008 Mumbai Attacks Marked Turning Point in India-Pakistan Relations**
Anand, Gujarat – External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stated on Tuesday that the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks served as a watershed moment in India-Pakistan relations, marking the point when Indians across the political spectrum deemed Pakistan’s actions intolerable. Speaking at Charotar University of Science and Technology, Jaishankar contrasted India’s transformation under Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Pakistan’s continued “bad habits,” including supporting terrorism.
He highlighted that the public outcry following the attacks, which killed 166 people, exceeded the government’s initial response. Post-2014, Jaishankar asserted, the Indian government adopted a firm stance, making it clear that acts of terrorism would have consequences. He further criticized Pakistan’s attempts to exploit the Afghanistan conflict and its ultimately self-destructive support of terrorism.
Jaishankar emphasized India’s shift towards technological advancement, contrasting it with Pakistan’s continued association with terrorism. He argued that India’s priorities lie elsewhere, hence the reduced public discussion of Pakistan. He also touched upon India’s assertive response to the 2020 Galwan Valley standoff with China, emphasizing the government’s decisive action and the subsequent implementation by the system.
Looking ahead, the Minister predicted the next decade will be defined by AI, electric vehicles, space exploration, drones, and nanotechnology. He stressed India’s strategic autonomy, rejecting the notion of subservience to other nations. Jaishankar welcomed the rise of entrepreneurship in India, viewing it as a positive development in a growing economy that shouldn’t solely rely on government employment.
First Piper 