Kanwal Sibal, 77, is a career diplomat, who retired as Foreign Secretary of India. He was conferred with Padma Shri for his distinguished services in the field of Public Affairs in 2017.
Kanwal Sibal, a diplomat, who retired as Foreign Secretary of India (Photo:Facebook)
Kanwal Sibal, 77, is a career diplomat, who retired as Foreign Secretary of India. He was conferred with Padma Shri for his distinguished services in the field of Public Affairs in 2017. Sibal was appointed to the Indian Foreign Service in July 1966.
He has been an ambassador to Turkey, Egypt, France and Russia. He served as Foreign Secretary from July 2002 to November 2003. In an exclusive interaction with Sushil Kumar of The Statesman, he talked about the Opposition questioning the government on Operation Sindoor, Pakistan once again offering talks; China, Pakistan coming together against India, and the US President, Donald Trump, announcing from the roof-top time and again that he is the one who secured a ceasefire between India and Pakistan.
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Q. Does the Opposition asking questions about Operation Sindoor give any kind of leverage to Pakistan?
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A . There is no point in the Opposition asking questions about Operation Sindoor as one can talk about it only after 10-15 years and not now. You must understand despite the world having images of destruction in Pakistan caused by the Indian strikes, it’s not revealing any losses officially. They have not uttered even a word on it, then why are the political parties in India asking to reveal anything about India’s loss or anything else in connection with the military operation that we launched against them. Pakistan is not accepting any claim regarding the attacks and subsequent damage simply because it would be demoralising for them. I do not see a point in India disclosing anything about it, especially when it’s still going on. Also, the Indian armed forces have made official statements on the entire issue, published papers on it, what else do you want to know? Raising questions on it is like providing Pakistan an opportunity against India. It will pick it up and make you look weak. The Opposition by doing so is taking up the Pakistani line.
Q. A few days ago, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister, who also holds the portfolio of Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar reiterated Islamabad’s willingness to engage in dialogue with New Delhi on a range of issues — from trade and economic cooperation to counter-terrorism, do you think India should accept the talk offer?
A. No point in it. It’s their agenda of putting the ball into India’s court as they have mentioned it also. India, as we all know, has made it clear several times that there would be no talks unless Pakistan stops supporting terrorism, and removes all terror facilities from its soil. Offering talks on all issues is their effort to make Kashmir a central point of talks. It’s their usual ploy, and India would not fall for it. There is no ground for holding any dialogue with them unless they do what is expected of them. India’s position on having any kind of talks with them is crystal clear – stop terrorism and talk. They want to falsely show to the world how willing they are to resolve issues with India but their idea of talks is hollow. I believe they cannot befool the world, and far as India is concerned, it knows their game plan.
Q. Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has charged the Central government with what he calls ‘bringing China and Pakistan together as a force against India – the biggest mistake that the government has made’, do you agree with him?
A. It’s complete nonsense. China and Pakistan have been together for a long time now. They joined hands against India in 1962, much before the BJP came to power. Pakistan has been buying arms from China. China has also been providing all sorts of help to it for decades to contain India, and now someone saying that the BJP contributed in uniting the two against the country does not make sense at all. The whole world knows the truth, and statements such as this do not hold water. It was unnecessary and uncalled for, Rahul Gandhi should not have made it. This confuses the masses. It’s understandable that it was political but one should avoid making such claims as it looks foolish.
Q . How do you look at U S President Donald Trump’s repeated claims of brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan?
A. US President Donald Trump is doing it for his domestic audience. Even before he got elected to the office, he would make all sorts of claims, and that is exactly what he is doing. He, right after assuming the office for the second term, tried to do it with Ukraine and Russia. He would call up the President of Russia, speak to him on the phone for hours but nothing would happen. Similarly, he met Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House, and the whole world saw how frustrated he was with him in order to make him accept what he was offering to him in terms of a socalled peace deal. President Trump is desperately trying to display himself as a peacemaker, and he is trying it in several parts of the world, be it Israel and Hamas, India and Pakistan, and other regions where countries are confronting each other. Several diplomatic channels were active during the Indo-Pak conflict but that does not mean that Trump got it done. Donald Trump is doing what no US president has ever done. He is totally self-centered and very unpredictable, and indulging in such acts for his domestic audience.
Q. Should India continue to have relations with countries that supported Pakistan during Operation Sindoor?
A. It does not work that way. It would be disastrous, no country can afford to do that. Many countries, including China and the US, supported Pakistan directly or indirectly but relations can’t be put on hold just like this. You have to deal with the issue diplomatically, be it the US, China or any other country. There are several countries that offered support to Pakistan during our military confrontation with it.
Q. Are you satisfied with the government ’ sresponsetothe Pahalgam attack or do you think something more should have been done?
A. This is for the first time that such a response was given to Pakistan for its terror acts against India. India attacked its terror bases earlier also but this time it was far bigger. Our defence forces attacked them right inside their country, and it was there to be seen by the world. However, we do not encourage war or any confrontation with any county but in case of provocation, we would deal with it. India has made it clear to Pakistan that any terror attack would be met with a solid military response.
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