Government's proactive foreign policy with strong messages: Sushma

Stressing on the Narendra Modi government's proactive foreign policy yet with "strong messages" delivered when required, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said Monday it has conveyed to China that if it wanted New Delhi to reaffirm a one-China policy, Beijing too must affirm a one-India policy.

Enumerating the "strong messages" that the Modi government has given out, Swaraj said that during her meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in June, she had conveyed to him that like India believed in a one-China policy with regard to Taiwan, Beijing should also affirm the one-India policy - with regard to Arunachal Pradesh and Kashmir.

China has been issuing stapled visas for Indians from both the states as it considers the areas "disputed".

Swaraj said she also told US Secretary of State John Kerry during his India visit that India considers US cyber spying "unacceptable".

The third example of "strong message" was calling off the Foreign Secretary-level talks with Pakistan, she said.

Referring to the Pakistan high commissioner's meeting with Kashmiri separatists, she said, "We told them either talk to them or to us" and when the envoy persisted with hobnobbing with the separatists, the government decided to call off the talks.

"Sarkar bahut majboot (strong) hai," she said.

Under the proactive foreign policy, Swaraj enumerated the Modi government's invite to South Asian leaders, including Pakistan, for his swearing-in and the neighbourhood outreach.