'Lord Krishna, Hanuman greatest diplomats in world', says S Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar explained diplomacy on Saturday by emphasising the relevance of the ancient epics, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana.

Speaking at a book launch ceremony in Pune for his English book, he said, "The India Way: Strategies for an Uncertain World. The biggest diplomats in the world were Lord Krishna and Hanuman... If we look at Hanuman, he had gone beyond diplomacy, he went ahead of the mission, contacted Sita and set Lanka on fire too."

He referred to Lord Krishna and Lord Hanuman as the "greatest diplomats."

He used Lord Krishna's several pardons of Shishupal to illustrate the concept of strategic patience. Shishupala made 100 faults, and Krishna promised to pardon him, but after the 100th one, he would be killed.

In his book "Multipolar India," Jaishankar equated Kurukshetra, the scene of the Kaurava-Pandava war, to that country.

Strategic autonomy is the capacity of a state to pursue its own national interests and desired foreign policy without being restrained by other governments.

Since its independence, India has followed a strategy of strategic autonomy during the bipolar cold war (1947-1991), unipolar times (1991-2008), and multipolar times (2008-present).

This strategic autonomy is not the result of isolation or alliance. It must be re-calibrated based on the security environment to protect India's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Strategic autonomy is not an alliance or isolation. In order to protect India's territorial integrity and sovereignty, it must be re-calibrated in accordance with the security situation.

When discussing "strategic deception," Jaishankar used Lord Krishna to create the illusion of a sunset.

Many warriors from Kaurava's side ruthlessly slaughtered Arjuna's son Abhimanyu. Arjuna promises to revenge his son's death by killing Jayadratha (the main offender) by the next evening, and if he fails, he will commit himself by jumping onto a flaming pyre.

The Kauravas seize this opportunity and hide Jayadratha until dusk, hoping that Arjuna will fail and commit suicide.

As dusk falls, Jayadratha assumes Arjuna failed the test and shows up in front of him. After that, Jayadratha's head is chopped off by an arrow that Krishna instructed Arjuna to shoot immediately.

He also emphasised the "cost of reputation," claiming that the Pandavas' reputation was superior to the Kauravas'.

Jaishankar bemoaned the geographical restrictions on India's ability to select its neighbours.

"It is a reality to us...Pandavas could not choose relatives, we can't choose our neighbours. Naturally, we hope good sense prevails" said EAM Jaishankar when asked if "rogue nation (Pakistan), who happens to be nuclear power, the neighbour will be assets or a liability."

Pakistan has drawn criticism from the international world for its failure to effectively confront terrorism. To receive assistance from other nations in difficult times, it must change its ways. Pakistan currently has a relatively small number of allies, among which Turkey is unable to assist Pakistan and China only ever lends money.

"Karan and Duryodhan are violating rules-based order," he stated of the rule-based order.

Karan and Duryodhan's friendship was detrimental to both of them and their families. It had no good impact on society.

Furthermore, it devoured their lives and caused immense destruction, lasting injury, and excruciating pain to their relatives.

When two explosives are combined, they absolutely propel each other. They not only endanger their surroundings, but they also wipe each other out, hastening the devastation.

The friendship between two people who are mostly bad in nature can only destroy each other and the entire society around them.

The region's peace and security are threatened by China's efforts to militarise disputed outposts in the South China Sea, its propensity to use coercion and intimidation, as well as other provocative acts made to enforce its broad and illegal maritime claims in the area. For its broad maritime claims in the South China Sea, Beijing has provided no convincing legal justification.

A rules-based order can be broadly viewed as a common commitment by States to carry out their operations in line with a set of rules that already exist.

A global governance framework that has emerged since the Second World War serves as the foundation for the rules-based order.

Jaishankar also provided evidence of "tactical adjustment" by giving examples of Yudhisthira fabricating Ashwathama's demise.

The Kauravas' chief commander, Dronacharya, fought so fiercely for five days that the Pandavas were powerless to stop him.

Pandavas devised a strategy to fool Dronacharya by having Yudhisthira make a fraudulent statement, knowing that Dronacharya would only believe Yudhisthira.

Krishna is aware that Drona's son Ashwathama is his one and only weakness in this situation. He, therefore, requests Yudhisthira to inform people that Ashwathama has passed away and that this is what killed Drona.

Additionally, Jaishankar praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for appointing him as the Minister of External Affairs.

"Being the foreign secretary was the limit of my ambition, never even dreamt of becoming a minister," says EAM Jaishankar. Thanking PM Modi, he said, "not sure any PM, other than Narendra Modi would have made me minister."