External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Wednesday criticised the Opposition for warning the government about the China-Pakistan alliance, especially in the context of the recent military standoff during Operation Sindoor, calling it a serious national security threat.
Participating in the Rajya Sabha debate on Operation Sindoor, Jaishankar took a sharp swipe at Opposition leaders, accusing them of selectively raising concerns despite their own past record of underestimating China’s strategic ambitions.
Mocking the Opposition’s stance, Jaishankar said some ‘China gurus’ were now lecturing the government on global affairs despite having previously ignored or engaged lightly with China.
His remarks followed comments by the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, who recently warned of the growing ‘China-Pakistan fusion’ and urged the government to respond more urgently to modern threats.
Without naming individuals, Jaishankar stated, “There are China gurus on the other side, who mock my understanding of global perspective despite being one of the longest serving ambassadors,” drawing applause from government MPs.
China-Pakistan Deals and Strategic Oversights
Jaishankar revisited historical events to highlight how Pakistan and China have repeatedly collaborated to target India, citing multiple instances of their joint efforts, while criticising the previous Congress-led government for neglecting crucial national security concerns.
“Today, China gurus claim that China-Pakistan combo is a serious threat, but it all started with the giving away of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and then several strategic partnerships between them, including Pakistan-China treaty of China friendship (2005), Gwadar airport deal (2013),” the Minister asserted.
He also criticised the earlier government’s dismissive stance on Sri Lanka’s Hambantota port, which later became a significant maritime security concern for India.
Responding to a query by Congress leader P Chidambaram about his recent China visit, Jaishankar said, unlike others, his discussions were open and transparent.
“We discussed terrorism, de-escalation, fostering relationships based on mutual respect and mutual trust and mutual sensitivity,” he added, reinforcing the Modi government’s principled foreign policy approach.
Jaishankar also acknowledged the contributions of several MPs, including Shashi Tharoor and Kanimozhi, for their support in presenting a united front after Operation Sindoor and helping expose Pakistan’s direct role in global terrorism.
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