China Doesn't Need Precedent. Chinese Aggression In Ladakh Happened Way Before Anything Happened In Ukraine: Jaishankar In Europe

Speaking at the Bratislava Forum in Slovakia, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said China does not need a precedent on how to engage with India.

The EAM was responding to a question linking the situation in Ukraine with that in eastern Ladakh, where India and China have been locked in a tense military stand standoff for over two years.

"There is a linkage today which is being made, a linkage between China and India and what's happening in Ukraine. Come on guys, China and India happened way before anything happened in Ukraine," the EAM said.

"Chinese don't need a precedent somewhere else in the world on how to engage us or not engage us or be difficult with us or not be difficult with us. I see this as frankly a not very clever argument..a very self-serving one," he added.

Jaishankar also said that Europe must grow out of the mindset that its problems are the world's problems and not vice versa.

"Europe has to grow out of mindset that its problems are world's problems,but world's problems aren't Europe's problems," the EAM said.

It was not the first time Jaishankar has reminded Europe of its response at the peak of the crisis with China in eastern Ladakh.

"When rules-based order was under challenge in Asia, the advice we got from Europe is - do more trade. At least we are not giving you that advice...," the minister had said while speaking at the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi on 26 April.

Also Read: Grow Out Of Mindset That Europe's Problems Are World's Problems But Not Vice-Versa: EAM S Jaishankar