External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has emphatically reiterated India’s uncompromising stance against terrorism, declaring that the country will not yield to nuclear blackmail nor allow impunity for terrorists or their sponsors.

Speaking in Washington, DC, following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, Jaishankar stated that India will no longer accept the notion that terrorists are mere proxies and will not spare governments that support or finance them.

He described the Pahalgam attack as an “act of warfare” aimed at crippling Kashmir’s tourism-dependent economy and provoking religious violence, underscoring that India cannot allow terrorists to operate with impunity simply because they are based across the border.

Jaishankar made clear that India’s message to the world is one of zero tolerance for terrorism, insisting there should be no circumstances under which terrorist acts are justified, supported, or financed. He highlighted India’s long history as a victim of terrorism, referencing major attacks such as the 26/11 Mumbai attacks and the attack on the Indian Parliament.

Emphasising the need for the international community to call out state-sponsored terrorism, he warned that tolerating or underplaying terrorist acts in one context enables their spread elsewhere.

Addressing concerns about escalation with Pakistan, Jaishankar firmly rejected the idea that the threat of nuclear conflict should deter India from defending itself. “We will not allow nuclear blackmail to prevent us from responding,” he asserted, adding that India will do whatever is necessary to protect its citizens.

He pointed out that terrorist organisations operating from Pakistan do so openly, with well-known headquarters, and confirmed that these were targeted in India’s retaliatory strikes following the Pahalgam attack.

In response to the April 22 attack, India conducted targeted military operations—Operation Sindoor—against terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, reportedly killing over 100 militants associated with groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen. Additionally, India announced diplomatic and economic measures against Pakistan, including suspending the Indus Waters Treaty and closing the only operational land border crossing at Attari.

At the Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Washington, Jaishankar called on partner nations to understand and support India’s right to self-defence. He insisted that “victims and perpetrators must never be equated” and that India expects its allies to appreciate its position on terrorism. He also highlighted the broader threat terrorism poses to global security and urged for a united front and a rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific region.

Jaishankar’s remarks underscore a hardened Indian policy: no more free passes for terrorists or their sponsors, no yielding to nuclear threats, and an unambiguous commitment to defending the nation against terrorism by any means necessary.

Based On ANI Report