New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday delivered a blunt message on India’s approach to terrorism, describing Pakistan as a “bad neighbour” and asserting that India will act decisively to protect its people. Speaking at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Jaishankar said India alone would decide how and when it responds to security threats.
Referring indirectly to Operation Sindoor, the minister said India had exercised its right to defend itself after facing persistent cross border terrorism. He stressed that no external power could dictate India’s actions when national security was at stake. According to him, countries that deliberately and repeatedly support terrorism cannot expect restraint or accommodation from India.
Jaishankar said the reality of having hostile neighbours must be acknowledged, especially when a country to the west continues to pursue terrorism as state policy. He underlined that India’s response to such threats would be determined solely by its own assessment of security needs. The manner in which India exercises that right, he added, is not open to external instruction or pressure.
The minister also addressed the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty following the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam earlier this year. He said agreements based on good neighbourly relations cannot function when terrorism continues unchecked. According to Jaishankar, it is unreasonable for a country to demand cooperation on issues such as water sharing while simultaneously supporting violence across borders.
He further reiterated his view that many of India’s longstanding challenges stem from the role of the Pakistani military establishment. Without naming individuals, he remarked that just as there are distinctions made between terrorists, there are also differences in the conduct and responsibility of military leadership.
Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated sharply after the April attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 civilians. Investigations pointed to cross border links, following which India launched Operation Sindoor in May, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir. The operation resulted in significant militant casualties.
Pakistan responded with missile and drone attacks, which were intercepted by Indian forces. India then carried out retaliatory strikes on Pakistani airfields. A ceasefire was announced on May 10, easing immediate hostilities.
Jaishankar’s remarks reflect India’s firm stance that counter terrorism measures are non negotiable and that national security will remain a top priority in its foreign policy approach.
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