'There are good military leaders and not-so-good ones': S Jaishankar on Pak Army chief Asim Munir

Speaking at HTLS 2025, Jaishankar said for India, the reality of the Pakistani Army has always been and “much of our problems emanate from there.

Like there are good terrorists and bad terrorists, there are good military leaders and not-so-good ones, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Saturday, speaking about Pakistan's chief of defence forces Field Marshal Asim Munir and India-Pakistan.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar at Hindustan Times Leadership Summit in New Delhi on Saturday.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar at Hindustan Times Leadership Summit in New Delhi on Saturday.

S Jaishankar was speaking at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit (HTLS) 2025 in New Delhi on Saturday. Track latest updates from the Summit here

Jaishankar said for India, the reality of the Pakistani Army has always been and “much of our problems emanate from there.

Answering a query on whether diplomatically boxed into a corner, Jaishankar said, “Look at the state of Pakistan and see the differentials and the capabilities and the reputation.. we should not get over obsessed and hyphenate ourselves.. Yes, there are issues and we will deal with it.”

Asked whether there are moves that he feels India could have played differently during Operation Sindoor, Jaishankar said there are rules and norms that a country like ours has to adhere to.

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'Very valuable for us': What Shashi Tharoor said on Putin's visit to India

“Look, you know, let me take it in two parts. I think where India is concerned, there are things we do and there are things we don't. That's why we are India. You know, we have rules, we have norms. If we take any step, we are accountable in this country, accountable to the people, to the media, to the civil society. It is very easy to say these things,” Jaishankar said.

Jaishankar on Putin's India visit

S Jaishankar, speaking on Russia President Vladimir Putin's Delhi visit, said that it is important for key relationships to be in good place for a country like India.

“For a country like us... big country, rising, and expected to occupy more important place... it is important our key relationships are in good place... we maintain good cooperation as possible, with as many players as possible and that we have that freedom of choice. That in a nutshell is what foreign policy is called,” Jaishankar said.

Responding to a question on whether Putin's India visit will in any way complicate New Delhi's ongoing trade negotiations with the United States, Jaishankar said, “I disagree, everybody knows that India has relations with all the major countries of the world... for any country to expect to have a veto or a say how we develop our relations with others is not a reasonable proposition”.

"Remember, the others can expect the same. We have made it clear we have multiple relationships, we have a freedom of choice," Jaishankar said.