'India's position not directly relevant': Jaishankar on aid to Pakistan during economic crisis

NEW DELHI: India is unlikely to come to Pakistan's aid as it grapples with an economic crisis, external affairs minister S Jaishankar has said.
In an interview to news agency ANI, Jaishankar made it clear that India does not see its western neighbour through the same lens as Sri Lanka.
Speaking on the economic turmoil and internal security scenario in Pakistan, Jaishankar said the country's future is largely determined by its actions and the choices it makes, the minister said.

Nobody reaches a difficult situation suddenly and without cause, he added.
India-Pakistan relations today are not one where "we can be directly relevant to that process," he said, referring to the strains in bilateral relations and the likelihood of India extending help.
However for Sri Lanka, there is still a lot of goodwill in the country, he said.

India had helped Sri Lanka during its worst economic crisis in modern history by opening lines of credit, food material, medicines and fuel, and also took a positive stand over an IMF bailout package for the island nation.
Jaishankar drew a clear demarcation between Pakistan and India's other neighbours. He said India would be willing to help if another neighbour needed assistance to emerge from a difficult situation.
"You know what the sentiment is in this country about Pakistan," he said.