S Jaishankar slams UPA's response to 'not to do anything' post the 2008 Mumbai attacks, stresses on strong border defence

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar criticized the previous UPA government's handling of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, highlighting their decision "not to do anything" in the aftermath of the devastating event that claimed 166 lives.

Addressing a gathering at a talk on 'Foreign Policy the India Way: From Diffidence to Confidence,' Jaishankar pointed out a statement made by the UPA government's national security advisor, indicating that the government decided against attacking Pakistan, believing the cost of such an action would outweigh not attacking. Jaishankar emphasized the need for a robust defense strategy, noting that during the "defensive era," terrorism was somewhat accepted.

Jaishankar also spoke about India's role as a voice of the Global South, comprising approximately 125 countries, stating that these nations trust India to represent their interests on the global stage. He stressed the importance of supporting the military, building infrastructure, and establishing a responsive system to defend India's borders effectively.


"We are a voice of the Global South, which is about 125 countries in the world. These countries trust India to take up their cause, their positions in the world," Jaishankar said.

In and interview with PTI, Jaishankar said: "After Mumbai (attacks), the national security advisor of the previous UPA government wrote (that) 'we sat, we debated. We considered all the options. Then we decided to do nothing. We decided to do nothing and the justification was we felt the cost of attacking Pakistan was more than the cost of not attacking Pakistan.' I leave you to judge."