'Pahalgam attack was done to create fear psychosis, destroy tourism and create religious discord', says EAM Jaishankar in Berlin

Berlin, May 23 (IANS) Reiterating India's zero-tolerance for terrorism, India's External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar has said that the Pahalgam terror attack was meant to create fear psychosis in the minds of people, destroy tourism economy flourishing in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir as well as create a religious discord between communities living in the country.

EAM Jaishankar made the remarks while speaking at the DGAP's Centre for Geopolitics, Geoeconomics and technology.

He also added that no country in the world has approves of terrorism but rather condemned it.

The EAM said that Germany also condemned the Pahalgam terror attack and said that India only targeted terrorists headquarters and training centres emanating from its neighbouring country Pakistan and the latter has used terrorism as a state-sponsored policy to pressurise India.

Germany recognises India's right to defend itself against terrorism, EAM Jaishankar said.

India has zero tolerance for terrorism and will never give in to nuclear blackmail, he added on Friday after briefing Germany's top leadership on the new approach to combating cross-border terror backed by Pakistan.

EAM Jaishankar signalled there will be no room for third-party mediation in India's dealings with Pakistan while addressing a news conference with his German counterpart, Johann Wadephul in Berlin.

He shared his remarks on how India and Germany can upgrade their ties as the two countries mark 25 years of their strategic partnership. He offered suggestions on collaboration in several areas to take the ties ahead.

He said, "To be here early in the tenure of this government, so that we really lose no time in forging a pathway towards taking after 25 years to look at the next 25 years and see where we can take our relationship."

Listing down the challenges which the modern world has brought forth, such as the chips war, climate change, poverty, damage done by the Covid pandemic, among others.

The EAM expressed confidence in the India-Germany ties to face them.

He said, "The global picture is very challenging... for that I would argue that the partnership between India and Germany, and India and the European Union, of which Germany is a crucial and invaluable member, has acquired an importance and a salience much more than it has had before."

Sharing his engagements in Germany, the EAM noted that the time is ripe to think about the next 25 years and how we can fully realise the potential of India-Germany ties.

Sharing his thoughts on what can be done to upgrade the relationship, EAM listed down areas of collaboration. The first area he highlighted was "A good start would be defence and security. We've had sort of an off and on relationship here. There have been times decades ago when there were actually active defence ties between us. Then for whatever reason, there's a certain conservatism about taking it forward. But I have seen that in the last few years, once again, there is a realisation in both countries that there is something that we have to offer to each other. And the defence and security of both countries would be very much stronger through our cooperation. And we see this reflected. We see this reflected in exercises in the visits of German ships to the Indo-Pacific and to Indian ports. We see it reflected in enhanced export licensing practices, in discussions whether there can be further technology and equipment collaboration between our countries."

The second area he brought to attention was talent and mobility to meet demand and demographics.

He highlighted that India's demographic curve is in the right place to fashion a global workforce.

The third area was technology and digital AI, and the fourth area being sustainability and green growth.

He expressed optimism for trade ties to g to grow between the two countries and an Free Trade Agreement with the EU would help in that regard.

He also shared the snippets from the event in a post on X. "A good interaction @dgapev this evening. Spoke about India and Germany coming closer to promote global stability, security and prosperity. Discussed new opportunities in the bilateral relationship, as well as with the European Union. Preparing for a stronger partnership in a multipolar world."

Earlier on Friday morning, EAM Jaishankar also conveyed to Chancellor Friedrich Merz India's appreciation for Germany's solidarity at the time when the country was responding to the Pahalgam attack.

"India has zero tolerance for terrorism. India will never give in to nuclear blackmail. And India will deal with Pakistan purely bilaterally," EAM Jaishankar said.

"There should be no confusion in any quarter in that regard."

Wadephul said Germany was "appalled by the brutal terrorist attack" at Pahalgam last month and had "condemned this attack on civilians in the strongest terms".

He added: "Germany will support any fight against terrorism. Terrorism must never have a place anywhere in the world and this is why we will support everyone who has to fight terrorism."

EAM Jaishankar said he spoke to Wadephul on May 7, the day Operation Sindoor was launched to target terrorist infrastructure on Pakistani soil, and said India values Germany's understanding that "every nation has a right to defend itself against terrorism".

Defence and security was a key part of the talks between the two Foreign Ministers, and EAM Jaishankar emphasised Germany's importance as an important partner.

Wadephul said the two countries share the joint goal of maintaining the rules-based world order.

"India has a very special importance as a strong actor in security policy in a strategically important region," Wadephul said.

EAM Jaishankar, who is on a three-nation tour of Europe that has already taken him to the Netherlands and Denmark, met members of the German Bundestag or Parliament on Thursday and discussed "India’s firm commitment of combating terrorism in all forms and manifestations".

--IANS

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