"Return of Pakistan occupied Kashmir will solve Kashmir Problem," says Dr Jaishankar :::: ... He further says -- "Trump policy suits India"

"I think the part we are waiting for is the return of the stolen part of Kashmir, which is under an illegal Pakistani occupation. When that's done, I assure you, Kashmir solved," External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar stated. 

Speaking at the Chatham House think tank in London, Jaishankar rejected third-party intervention and defended India's approach, saying it had already taken decisive steps to address the situation independently.

"In Kashmir, we have done a good job solving most of it. I think removing Article 370 was one step. Then, restoring growth, economic activity, and social justice in Kashmir was step number two. Holding elections, which were done with a very high turnout, was step number three," he said.

The External Affairs Minister was also asked whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi could harness US President Donald Trump's zeal for striking peace to resolve the Kashmir issue with Pakistan.  

The discussion later turned to India's relationship with the US, particularly under Trump's leadership. Jaishankar said that Washington's shift towards a multipolar world aligned with India's interests.

"We see a president and an administration which, in our parlance, is moving towards multipolarity, and that is something that suits India," he said.

He also pointed to the Quad alliance-comprising India, the US, Australia, and Japan-as a successful example of cooperation. 

"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.

Earlier in May 9, 2024, EAM Jaishankar had asserted that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) is a part of India and had said that every Indian political party was committed to ensuring that POK returns to India.

During an interaction with students of Delhi University's Gargi College, New Delhi, EAM Jaishankar said, 

"All I can say about POK is that there a Parliament resolution...every political party of this country is committed to ensuring that POK, which is a part of India, returns to India. 

That is our national commitment."

He also asserted that the scrapping of Article 370 in August 2019 paved the way for people to think about the issue of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir as well.

"Because we have finally taken the right decision of Article 370, the PoK issue has come to the front of people's thinking. The first pre-requisite for something happening is that it should be in your thoughts," he said.

ends