India on Saturday said its response to the Pakistani cross border provocation and the killing of Indian soldiers was not “influenced” by any country, including the U.S.
External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid also said that the Indo-Pak dialogue process has inbuilt review system, indicating that the current situation will not push for any fresh review.
“We are not influenced by anybody including the U.S. Neither does America pressurises us nor does it have any expectations that it can do so.
“But it is true that whether America, Russia, China, Canada, Iran, Saudi Arabia or Malaysia, we speak to everybody,” Mr. Khurshid told Prabhu Chawla in TV show ‘Teekhi Baat’ when asked whether India was influenced by America in matters concerning Pakistan.
Asked if there was a need to review the dialogue process between the two countries, he said, reviews periodically happen as these are inbuilt in the dialogue process.
On sending back Pakistani players who were here for the Indian Hockey League, he said both the Congress and BJP were united on the issue. “It is the society’s decision, and the government accepts the decision of society, because it is a democratic government,” he said.
He also said India will not relent on its demand for the handing over of 20 terrorists who are believed to have sought shelter in Pakistan. “There is no way that we will let go of the pressure. In all our talks with them, we maintain these demands as a part of our strategy,” Mr. Khurshid said.
Keywords: External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, India-Pakistan, LoC tensions, ceasefire violations, India-Pak border tensions
