India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar batting for the Indo-Pacific concept has said that it represents "a natural evolution... the evolution of India", a concept backed by Washington, several European countries, and ASEAN coming up with an outlook on it.
Speaking at an event virtually, Jaishankar said, "Indo-Pacific is an emphatic statement that doesn't artificially separate Indian ocean, and India from the Pacific ocean and those countries. The world is much more seamless."
"Only a person in denial of globalization will actually contest Indo-Pacific and certainly an Indian who will understand our interest beyond the Indian ocean will see the logic of it."
In June 2018, the Indian Prime Minister had first elaborated New Delhi's point of view on the concept saying, it is not a strategy directed at any country but stands for a free, open, and inclusive region.
The comments by EAM comes even as Moscow has expressed its reservation on it. Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov last week called Indo-Pacific strategy which is being promoted by the western countries as being "Anti China."
Beijing has always been suspicious of the concept, which sees Asia Pacific being replaced by Indo Pacific and it might lose its dominance to India in the region.
Meanwhile, EAM yet again spoke on Chinese aggressive action at Line of actual control calling events of this year "disturbing" and raising "basic concerns" about how the "other party has not abided by agreements" on many things including amassing troops.
He said,"What has happened is not actually in the interest of China.... it has significantly impacted public sentiments."
2020 has been the worst year for India-China ties due to not only build up Chinese forces at the LAC but also due to the aggressive action in Galwan valley due to which 20 Indian soldiers died. Despite multiple rounds of talks at military and diplomatic levels, the build-up by the Chinese forces continues.
