BJP rules out major foreign policy shift, if voted to power

“Our foreign policy would be to have cordial relationship with our neighbours,” BJP president Rajnath Singh said. File photo

BJP president Rajnath Singh has ruled out any fundamental shift in India’s foreign policy, if his party is voted to power.

“As far as changes in the foreign policy is concerned, there is not likely to be a basic change in its fundamental principles. But whenever the other party comes, we are having our own perspective and we decide accordingly,” Mr. Singh told a group of Indian journalists in Washington on Wednesday.

“Our foreign policy would be to have cordial relationship with our neighbours,” he said, a day after he delivered a major foreign policy speech on Afghanistan at the Capitol Hill.

Responding to a question on Pakistan, he referred to a statement by the former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee that one can change friends, but not neighbours.

“It would be our full effort to improve relationship with Pakistan. At the same time we expect from Pakistan to respond similarly. But till today, I can say, that Pakistan has not responded in the manner we have taken the initiatives to have a cordial relationship with them,” he said.

“We are always in favour of good relationship with Pakistan,” he said.

He also expressed BJP’s concern on the mistreatment of minorities in Pakistan.