Want Normal, Neighbourly Relations With Pakistan: Modi

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2023-05-20T13:48:25+05:00 News Desk
Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi has said that it is the responsibility of Pakistan to provide a favorable environment for normalization of ties as Islamabad and New Delhi remain deadlocked on bilateral relations.

In an interview with Japanese media, Modi was asked about New Delhi's tense relations with its neighbors and important regional actors. He said that India wanted "normal and neighborly relations."

"However, it is their responsibility to provide a favorable atmosphere free from terrorism and hostility. The responsibility to act in this respect rests with Pakistan, the Indian prime minister remarked.

It should be mentioned that Pakistan's Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has stated that Pakistan is ready to respond to any issues that New Delhi may have, but that Islamabad also expects the same from the other side.

Bilawal stated that Pakistan's perspective on bilateral relations or genuine engagement with India remains the same as long as it evaluates the unilateral steps made on August 5, 2019, during his first visit to India as the FM last month.

India is hosting the G20 tourism summit in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) from May 22 to May 24, in addition to maintaining its strict position on Kashmir's status.

Islamabad has regularly chastised its arch-rival for its actions since the partition of India in 1947. Additionally, it has cautioned the G20 participants that their participation might be seen as an attempt to defend the violations of human rights in Kashmir and the illegitimate Indian occupation of the region.

It should be noted that China, Pakistan's main regional ally and a nation with hostile relations with India, has officially declared its opposition to and said that it will not attend the G20 summit in Srinagar.

Relations between the rivals deteriorated, particularly after a fight in 2020 that resulted in 20 Indian and four Chinese troops dying in the first bloody conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbors in decades.

Regarding the tense relations between India and Beijing, Modi stated, "India is fully prepared and committed to protecting its sovereignty and dignity."

The Indian prime minister emphasized New Delhi's adherence to sovereignty, the rule of law, and peaceful conflict resolution in light of the ongoing impasse between the two nations along their shared Himalayan border.

"Normal bilateral ties with China depend on calm and peace in the border regions. Only mutual respect, sensitivity, and shared interests can serve as the foundation for the future growth of the India-China relationship," he added.

Modi, the head of the right-wing Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is a popular figure in his country and is considering a third term in office.
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