External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar outlined India’s neighbourhood policy while speaking at an event in Chennai, days after attending the funeral of Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. Highlighting the distinction between “good neighbours” and “bad neighbours,” Jaishankar said India supports and assists countries that maintain cooperative ties, citing examples such as vaccine diplomacy, economic aid and crisis support. At the same time, he asserted India’s right to defend itself against neighbours that persist with terrorism, stressing that New Delhi’s approach is guided by common sense and national interest.