Amsterdam, May 22: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that India has had difficult neighbours, which the West has always been insulated from.

In an interview with Netherlands-based NOS, Jaishankar said that the Europe has now woken up to the reality which India had been facing for almost eight decades.

"I've had difficult neighbors, Pakistan and China especially. I've had a continuing problem of terrorism from Pakistan. So I've always had to deal with a degree of realism with a very harsh world, a very nasty world, which I think Europeans were insulated from," he said.

Jaishankar was asked if India puts aside conflicts with its neighbours- China and Pakistan, the three can get rich together. The interviewer then asked to what extent does the situation on the border with Pakistan and China holds India back economically.

"Well, you know, it's a very interesting question which you are asking me as a European. I'll tell you why I find it interesting. Because I think this part of the world is waking up to what it means if you're not given full attention to your security requirements," Jaishankar said.

Jaishankar added that India's security challenges were far more threatening than the case was in Europe. So India had to prioritise security over economic cooperation.

"Our security challenges were far more threatening than yours. So we had to prioritize security. You don't choose between security and economic prosperity. Today you are realizing that. They are part of the same coin," he said.

The interviewer interrupted the EAM, saying, "So my question is naive?"

Jaishankar calmly answered, "So I'm not accusing you of naivety. I'm just saying that your situation was different from mine," he said.

Jaishankar explained how Europe enjoyed a favourable geopolitical situation post Second World War and in the 90s. That led them to think that it was 'normal'.

"No, I think your question comes out of your historical experience. Your historical experience has been that after the Second World War and certainly after 1991-92, you had the good fortune of enjoying a very favorable geopolitical circumstance. And that has conditioned you to think that is a normal. My situation is- I didn't have that situation," he said.

Jaishankar said that today, however, Europe is going through a 'reality check'. He added that one cannot choose between economy and security of a nation.

"But you are today going through a reality check in your own way. I've grown up with that reality over almost eight decades. So for me, it's not a choice between, oh, if you are dealing with your security, does it come at the cost of your progress? I mean, defending your country and your territory is the first duty of any government, any people," he said.

In response to the Pahalgam attack, Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Sindoor in the early hours of May 7, targeting nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), leading to the death of over 100 terrorists affiliated with terror outfits like the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM).

Following the attack, Pakistan retaliated with cross-border shelling across the Line of Control and Jammu and Kashmir as well as attempted drone attacks along the border regions, following which India launched a coordinated attack and damaged radar infrastructure, communication centres and airfields across airbases in Pakistan. On May 10, India and Pakistan reached an understanding on the cessation of hostilities.

(ANI)

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