New York: In a sharp rebuttal at the United Nations Security Council, India took a strong stand against Pakistan, describing it as a country “steeped in fanaticism and terrorism” and a “serial borrower” from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Indian Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish delivered the statement during a high-level UNSC debate on “Promoting International Peace and Security through Multilateralism and Peaceful Settlement of Disputes.”
Highlighting India’s commitment to global peace and cooperation, Harish said, “India is a responsible actor and a founding member of the United Nations. We continue to engage constructively with global partners to work toward a peaceful, prosperous, just, and equitable world.”
Drawing a stark contrast between India and Pakistan, the ambassador pointed out that while India is a mature democracy and a rising global economy built on pluralism and inclusivity, Pakistan remains mired in extremism, terrorism, and repeated financial dependency on the IMF. “At the other extreme is Pakistan, steeped in fanaticism and terrorism and a serial borrower from the IMF,” Harish said, underlining Pakistan’s poor global standing on security and economic fronts.
Harish also emphasized that combating terrorism must be a global priority and warned against tolerating nations that promote cross-border violence. “It ill behoves any Council member to lecture others while engaging in conduct that the global community finds unacceptable,” he added.
He further called for stringent accountability, stating that countries encouraging terrorism and undermining regional peace should face “serious costs.” Citing the April 22 Pahalgam attack—where 26 civilians were killed by Pakistani terrorists—Harish referenced India’s response, Operation Sindoor, which targeted terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK). The operation was described as “focused, measured, and non-escalatory.”
Tensions escalated following the military action on May 7, leading to brief cross-border hostilities that ended three days later on May 10. Harish also clarified that India agreed to a ceasefire only at Pakistan’s direct request—countering U.S. President Donald Trump’s earlier claim that he helped broker peace.
India’s remarks at the UNSC underscore its zero-tolerance policy on terrorism and its intent to hold nations accountable for promoting instability under the guise of diplomacy.
