JAISHANKAR LASHES ROMANTICISM OF NEHRUVIAN ERA WITH CHINA

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has reiterated that India should deal with China on the basis of realism and asserted that the relationship should be based on the three mutual understandings- respect, sensitivity, and interest.

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He reassessed India's approach of engaging with China with realism in order to checkmate its aggressive measures, while also hitting out at the romanticism of the Nehruvian era with China.

"I argue for dealing with China from a basis of realism -- that strain of realism, which I feel -- strains all the way from Sardar Patel to Narendra Modi -- that is the strain of realism which I feel should allow us to have a certain approach," said Jaishankar.

The External Affairs Minister also lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his pragmatic approach on China.

"I would say that the Modi Government has been very much more and in conformity with a strain of realism, which originated from Sardar Patel," he said.

Explaining the difference in the approach of India's first Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, Sardar Patel and first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, Jaishankar highlighted the difference of opinion among the two stalwarts.