NEW DELHI: In response to a query about whether or not India is being perceived as a “bully” within the area (sub-continent and the Indian Ocean area), exterior affairs minister S Jaishankar firmly acknowledged that large bullies don’t present $4.5 billion assist to their neighbors in instances of misery.
Speaking at a ebook launch occasion in Delhi, Jaishankar emphasised the constructive adjustments in India’s relations with its neighboring international locations.

“The big change today in this part of the world is what has happened between India and its neighbours. When you say India is perceived as a big bully, you know, big bullies don’t provide $4.5 billion when the neighbours are in trouble. Big bullies don’t supply vaccines to other countries when Covid is on or make exceptions to their own rules to respond to food demands or fuel demands or fertilizer demands because some war in some other part of the world has complicated their lives,” EAM Jaishankar mentioned.

He identified that these actions display India’s dedication to supporting its neighbors throughout difficult instances.

The video clip of Jaishankar’s response to the query rapidly unfold throughout social media platforms, gaining widespread consideration.
He additional elaborated on the progress made in enhancing connectivity between India and its neighboring international locations.
“Today at the connectivity level, just the volume of people moving up and down, the volume of the trade which is there, the investments which are there, it’s actually a very, very good story to tell. Not just with Nepal and Bangladesh, with Sri Lanka as well, I would say even with Maldives,” the EAM acknowledged.

Veiled reference to Maldives
In January, when tensions have been excessive between India and the Maldives, president Mohamed Muizzu had mentioned that although his nation was small “it does not give countries the license to bully us”.
The assertion by Muizzu, who is taken into account strongly pro-China, got here amid a row between India and the Maldives after Maldivian politicians made derogatory remarks towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s go to to Lakshadweep.

The feedback sparked a ‘Boycott Maldives’ development on-line that has been backed by Bollywood actors, cricketers and different outstanding figures.
In his strongly-worded assertion, Muizzu mentioned the Indian Ocean doesn’t belong to a particular nation.
“Though we have small islands in this ocean, we have a vast exclusive economic zone of 9,00,000 square kilometers. Maldives is one of the countries with the biggest share of this ocean. This ocean does not belong to a specific country. This ocean also belongs to all countries situated in it,” he said.
Muizzu also responded to comments that the Maldives is situated in India’s backyard. “We aren’t in anyone’s backyard. We are an independent and sovereign state,” he mentioned.
Muizzu gained the elections in October final 12 months on the again of an ‘India Out’ marketing campaign wherein he pledged the removing of Indian troops from the archipelago.