NEW DELHI: Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday heaped praise on the foreign policy of PM Narendra Modi-led Centre and recently held Brics Summit in Delhi. Omar Abdullah said the Brics declaration condemning Pakistan-backed Pahalgam terror attack was a major diplomatic win.J&K CM remarks came after India hosted the 18th Brics Summit in New Delhi, bringing together several world leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.The National Conference leader particularly highlighted the inclusion of the Pahalgam terror attack in the Brics New Delhi Declaration, pointing out that the statement came in the presence of countries that share close ties with Pakistan.“That is something for the Government of India, and particularly for the foreign ministry, to talk about. The fact that Pahalgam itself was condemned is a big thing. Please see how many allies of Pakistan were in that room. Therefore, for even Pahalgam to be mentioned by name, that in itself is a success of our foreign policy,” Omar Abdullah said.J&K CM Omar also welcomed steps aimed at easing tensions along India’s fronts with Pakistan and China.Reacting to the ministry of defence’s report on the operational situation along the Northern Front, he said any move to reduce troop deployments along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) or Line of Control (LoC) would be a positive development, particularly for people living in border areas.“Anything that reduces tension along the Line of Control or the Line of Actual Control is a good step, particularly for those people who live close to it. We know that living near the LoC or LAC is extremely difficult for people. If there is any step that reduces deployments along the Line of Actual Control, that is a good step. Similarly, we hope that, over time, things will also get better along the Line of Control,” he added.The comments came days after the Brics Summit concluded in the national capital. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the New Delhi Declaration had been unanimously adopted and called the gathering as a huge summit.Days ago, senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor backed the Brics Summit as an important diplomatic opportunity for India, appearing to differ with party colleague P Chidambaram, who questioned whether recent Brics meetings have produced tangible benefits.
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Tharoor highlighted the diplomatic value of India hosting leaders from across the Brics grouping and its partner countries, stressing the importance of such engagements for New Delhi.Chidambaram, however, had questioned the outcomes of recent Brics summits.“I don’t think the last two or three Brics summits have resulted in tangible benefits or tangible results.”“In fact, we are part of Brics, we are part of SCO, we are part of G20, and we are part of Quad. What benefits are we getting out of that? I can’t see. In the last two or three summits, I didn’t see any benefits. Earlier, the Brics Summits resulted in some tangible benefits,” he added.Chidambaram’s remarks triggered a political response from the BJP, which accused the Congress of questioning an event that, it said, reflected India’s growing standing on the global stage.
