Amitabh Bachchan praised External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar over his sharp reaction to a question whether “India was being a bully in the region” (sub-continent and the Indian Ocean region), at a book launch event in New Delhi.

Jaishankar’s response seemed to be a reference to the Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu's statement back in January when he indirectly hit out at India. Without naming any country Muizzu had said, “We may be small, but that doesn’t give you the licence to bully us.”

Amitabh Bachchan reacts to  External Affairs Minister's comments

Reacting to a video from the press meet where S Jaishankar responded to Maldives President's remarks, Big B wrote on X (formerly Twitter), "WAH .. !!! well said Sir (sic)." The video clip of Jaishankar's response to an earlier 'barb' from the Maldives President has been widely circulated on social media.

S Jaishankar's sharp reply to the question whether ‘India was being a bully in the region’

Responding to the question, Jaishankar said, “big bullies” don’t provide USD 4.5 billion in aid when neighbours are in distress.

“The big change today in this part of the world is what has happened between India and its neighbours. When you say India is perceived as a big bully, you know, big bullies don't provide four and a half billion dollars when the neighbours are in trouble,” Jaishankar said at the event.

“Big bullies don't supply vaccines to other countries when COVID is on or make exceptions to their own rules to respond to food demands or fuel demands or fertiliser demands because some war in some other part of the world has complicated their lives," he added.

A diplomatic dispute erupted last year when some leaders from the ruling party in Maldives made derogatory statements about India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.