ISLAMABAD: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has issued a sternwarning that if a country deliberately persists with terrorism Indiaretains the full sovereign right to defend its people and will exercisethat right in whatever manner it deems necessary. Speaking at theinauguration of Shaastra 2026 at IIT Madras on January 2 the ministerdescribed certain neighbours as bad ones that continue unrepentantsponsorship of terrorism while expecting cooperation such as water-sharing.Without naming Pakistan directly the remarks linked ongoing cross-borderthreats to the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty following the April2025 Pahalgam terror attack which killed 26 civilians. Pakistan’s ForeignOffice swiftly rejected the statements as irresponsible accusing India ofdeflecting from its own alleged role in regional instability. The exchangeunderscores the fragile state of bilateral relations amid heightenedaccusations of state-sponsored terrorism.
Jaishankar’s comments came amid India’s recalibrated neighbourhood policythat emphasises support for cooperative neighbours while maintaining zerotolerance for security threats. He highlighted how persistent terrorismerodes the foundation of goodwill agreements including the 1960 IndusWaters Treaty originally signed as a gesture of good neighbourliness.Following the Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir blamed by New Delhi onPakistan-backed groups India placed the treaty in abeyance and launchedOperation Sindoor targeting nine terror sites in Pakistan. The ministerstressed that decisions on response methods remain solely India’sprerogative rejecting any external prescriptions on defence strategies.
The Pahalgam incident on April 22 2025 marked a significant escalation withterrorists attacking tourists resulting in 25 Indian and one Nepalifatality. Indian authorities described it as barbaric and traced it toinfrastructure supported from across the border. In response OperationSindoor executed with precision was termed focused measured andnon-escalatory by the defence ministry avoiding direct military targets.The action drew international attention with Jaishankar later urging globalzero tolerance for terrorism. Data from Indian security assessmentsindicate that cross-border incidents have persisted despite periodicceasefires with over 200 reported violations in recent years contributingto ongoing tensions.
Pakistan has consistently denied involvement in terrorism labelling Indianaccusations as baseless propaganda. In its rebuttal to Jaishankar’s latestremarks the Foreign Office described them as attempts to internationalisebilateral disputes while pointing to alleged Indian support for groups likethe Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan operating from Afghanistan. Islamabadreiterated its commitment to protect rights under the Indus Waters Treatyand accused New Delhi of promoting extremism through Hindutva ideology. Theresponse included references to past incidents such as the arrest of Indiannational Kulbhushan Jadhav in 2016 as evidence of state-sponsoredactivities against Pakistan.
Analysts observe that Jaishankar’s framing of bad neighbours reflects abroader shift in India’s foreign policy since 2019 Balakot strikes evolvinginto a doctrine of proactive retaliation against perceived terror threats.The minister has repeatedly emphasised that terrorism emanating from thePakistani military establishment forms the core challenge with trainingcamps and ideological hostility originating from army influence. Statisticsfrom think-tanks suggest that terror-related fatalities in Jammu andKashmir declined post-2019 but sporadic high-profile attacks continue tofuel distrust. This pattern reinforces New Delhi’s position that meaningfuldialogue requires dismantling of terror infrastructure first.
The current diplomatic standoff occurs against the backdrop of regionalrealignments including Pakistan’s engagements with China and India’sexpanding partnerships with Western nations. Jaishankar’s address alsotouched on positive neighbourhood initiatives such as financial aid to SriLanka during its crisis and relief efforts elsewhere contrasting these withthe difficulties posed by persistent hostility from the west. Pakistan’srebuttal highlights mutual accusations with both sides rejectingthird-party mediation on Kashmir and terrorism issues. The episode servesas a reminder of the deep-seated mistrust that has characterisedIndia-Pakistan relations for decades with terrorism remaining the primaryobstacle to normalisation.
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Source:https://www.dawn.com
Tags: India, Pakistan, S Jaishankar, Cross-border Terrorism, Indus WatersTreaty
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