Sushma Swaraj addresses her annual press conference today on Modi government's fourth anniversary
Highlights
- No talks with Pakistan if terror doesn't stop: Sushma Swaraj
- India talking to US on H-1B visa concerns, she said
- India accepts UN sanctions, not country specific ones, she said on Iran
Addressing her annual press conference on the Modi government's fourth anniversary, foreign minister Sushma Swaraj ruled out a dialogue with Pakistan unless terror emanating from there into India, stopped.
"We are ready for talks. But there's a caveat --
terror and talks cannot go together. This has always been our position," Ms Swaraj told reporters in New Delhi.
She was asked whether India was softening its position on Pakistan with a maritime dialogue taking place in Delhi today. Last year, the same talks were called off by India due to tensions over
Indian prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav. Both countries also restarted a track-two dialogue last month.
But the foreign minister insisted there was no fundamental change in policy. "When the border is hot, when soldiers are dying, we can't talk to Pakistan. The
NSAs (national security advisers) talk, because talks on terror should be held," she said.
Asked about India's position on the new US sanctions against Iran, Ms Swaraj said, "We accept UN sanctions, not country specific ones."
India has a crucial strategic port in Iran and also depends heavily on oil imports from there, both of which will be hit by American sanctions.
On concerns regarding H-1B visas, the foreign minister said India was talking to all arms of the US government and administration to ensure Indians are not affected. "Ultimately it's America's decision; they are a sovereign country but we are trying our best," Ms Swaraj said.