Foreign secretary S Jaishankar on Tuesday addressed the backlash that US President Donald Trump was facing over the Muslim ban.
Asking the media not to demonise the US President, Jaishankar said that Trump's executive orders weren't a momentary expression, but a 'thought process'.
The US government had faced severe backlash after they announced that people from seven Muslim-majority countries would not be allowed to enter the United States for a period. In addition, individuals from other countries, including those who have a visa waiver with the US, who had visited those countries would also go through a visa interview. Incidentally, the seven countries were put on US's alert list in 2011 when Barack Obama was President of that country.
While defending President Trump, Jaishankar added that Western countries might not be open about Pakistan and terrorism problems but they have their own concerns. He said that the main issue was if Pakistan was willing to take fundamental steps to curb terrorism.
"Western countries may not be open about Pakistan and terrorism problem but they have concerns. The issue really here is whether Pakistan is willing to take fundamental steps," he said during a discussion on "Political change and economic uncertainties" at the Gateway Dialogue event, co-hosted by Ministry of External Affairs.
The foreign secretary added that Pakistan needed to 'shut down' its 'terrorism factory' and asserted that India had not given up on SAARC, but will keep looking for other opportunities for regional integration "since SAARC is stuck".
Speaking on ties with China, Jaishankar said "it does not help to duck issues" and admitted that there was a need to invest more to manage the relationship better.
Visualising a greater role for India on international scene, he said time has come for the country to take a lead on global stage, since the major countries are 'narrowing down'.
"At a time when horizons of a lot of major countries are getting narrower...If the major (countries) are pulling back there is a space out there and it is in our interest to use that space. In my views, we should be looking at more powered position in international forum," he said.
With PTI inputs
