External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, during his ongoing six-day visit to Europe, has articulated a clear vision for India's deepening partnership with Luxembourg while delivering a sharp critique of Pakistan's policies. Speaking in Luxembourg on Tuesday, January 7, 2026, Jaishankar outlined areas of future collaboration and contrasted India's role as a reliable regional player with what he termed the "exception" of ties with Islamabad.
Forging a Crucial Partnership with Luxembourg
Jaishankar, who held delegation-level talks with Luxembourg's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel and met Prime Minister Luc Frieden, described the European nation as a "very important" partner for India. He emphasized that this importance is reflected both bilaterally and within the broader context of India's relationship with the European Union, which is at a "very crucial time" in its development.
"The influence that you have in shaping that larger relationship, the support that you extend, that is something which is of great value to us," Jaishankar stated. Beyond the existing robust trade account, he identified several cutting-edge fields for enhanced cooperation, including fintech, space, the digital domain, and artificial intelligence (AI).
In a post on social media platform X, Jaishankar termed his meeting with Bettel as "excellent," noting discussions on finance, investments, digital initiatives, AI, space, and talent mobility, alongside the continued deepening of India-EU ties.
India as the Reliable Neighbour in South Asia
Outlining India's neighbourhood policy, Jaishankar presented the country as the go-to responder during crises in South Asia. He cited instances where India provided assistance, such as during a cyclone in Sri Lanka, an earthquake in Myanmar and Afghanistan, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the energy crisis triggered by the Ukraine war.
"When big problems happen to countries and they do not have the capacity to cope with it, they naturally turn to those who do. And in our region, there is a growing belief that the country which can be relied upon in this regard is India," he asserted. He clarified that this trust is not rhetorical but born out of consistent action, like being the first vaccine supplier to neighbours during COVID and stepping in to address energy shortages.
Pakistan: The 'Exception' in India's Neighbourhood
In his most pointed remarks, Jaishankar singled out Pakistan as the anomalous case in India's otherwise constructive regional approach. He branded the relationship with Pakistan an "exception" due to its longstanding support for terrorism.
"Show me in the world, in this day and age, any country which has pursued the kind of policies like Pakistan — that for decades who had these training camps in big cities … very open … where the state, military support terrorism and they try to normalise it as though its their right to do it," Jaishankar said. He lamented this as a "very unpalatable reality" but noted that the international community no longer buys Pakistan's justifications.
He concluded by stating that India has now realistically shaped its policy acknowledging this persistent behaviour from that particular neighbour. The minister's comments reinforce India's firm stance on cross-border terrorism as the central impediment to normalising bilateral relations.
Jaishankar's engagements in Luxembourg highlight India's dual-track foreign policy: actively building futuristic partnerships based on shared economic and technological interests while taking an uncompromising stand on core security threats emanating from across the border.
