External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stated that a full resolution of the Kashmir issue would be possible if Pakistan withdrew from Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Speaking at Chatham House in London, Jaishankar addressed a question on whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi could use his rapport with U.S. President Donald Trump to “resolve” the Kashmir dispute.
He emphasized that the removal of Article 370 was the first step, referring to the Indian government’s 2019 move to revoke Jammu and Kashmir’s special status.
“Then restoring growth and economic activity and social justice in Kashmir was step number two,” he continued.
Jaishankar further elaborated, “Holding elections, which were done with a very high turnout, was step number three. I think the part we are waiting for is the return of the stolen part of Kashmir, which is under illegal Pakistani occupation. When that’s done, I assure you, Kashmir [is] solved.”
Chatham House chief executive Bronwen Maddox, who moderated the discussion, pointed out that several questions were being raised about Kashmir and human rights. Earlier that day, the UK’s House of Commons had conducted a debate titled “Government support for human rights in Jammu and Kashmir,” led by Labour MP Sarah Smith.
When asked if the Indian government acknowledges any shortcomings in its human rights record, Jaishankar responded by saying that politically motivated campaigns had often targeted India on this issue.
“There can be situations which require redressal and remedy,” he said, emphasising that India’s human rights record stood strong when compared globally.
“I think any sort of sweeping concern on human rights is really misplaced. I don’t see justification for it at all,” he added.
During the discussion, Jaishankar reiterated the importance of ensuring equal benefits for all Indian citizens — an argument he has previously used to defend the government’s human rights record.
He also remarked that in some parts of the world, politics was driven by “creating” and “pandering to” identity-based narratives. However, he maintained that good governance should focus on “treating your citizens equally”.
Jaishankar on India-US ties
Jaishankar, beyond discussing Kashmir, addressed India’s evolving global stance, covering aspects such as economic policies, trade agreements, and the country’s geopolitical perspective.
He pointed to the strengthening ties between India and the United States during President Donald Trump’s tenure, emphasising that both nations recognise the advantages of a multipolar world.
“We see a president and an administration which, in our parlance, is moving towards multipolarity and that is something that suits India,” he said.
Jaishankar also highlighted the significance of the Quad alliance, comprising the US, India, Australia, and Japan. “From President Trump’s perspective, the one big shared enterprise that we have is the Quad, which is an understanding where everybody pays their fair share… There are no free riders involved. So that’s a good model which works,” he said.
Regarding trade, he mentioned that commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal held talks with US officials in Washington, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s talks with Trump at the White House. “We had a very open conversation about it (tariffs) and the result of that conversation was that we agreed on the need for a bilateral trade agreement,” Jaishankar said.
(With agency inputs)