External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, addressing the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York, launched one of India’s sharpest attacks on Pakistan in recent years. Without naming the country directly but leaving little room for doubt, he asserted that Pakistan operates terror hubs on an “industrial scale” and remains the epicentre of global terrorism.

Jaishankar underscored that most major global terror incidents eventually trace back to Pakistan. He cited India’s decades-long struggle of confronting terrorism exported from across its western border, reiterating that “for decades, major international terrorist attacks are traced back to that one country.” 

He reminded the assembly that numerous names on the UN’s designated terrorist lists belong to Pakistani nationals, underlining the entrenched nature of the crisis.

The minister made specific reference to the recent Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of 26 innocent tourists, illustrating how terrorism continues to jeopardise civilian lives in India. This was a direct message that Pakistan’s destabilising actions are not historical alone but remain an ongoing international challenge.

Jaishankar went beyond routine diplomatic language, describing terrorism in Pakistan as being run on an “industrial scale.” He argued that the country openly glorifies terrorists as heroes and has made terrorism a component of its state policy. He stressed that such normalisation of violence must be called out universally and without equivocation.

While reflecting on India’s counterterror operations, Jaishankar cited Operation Sindoor and stressed that India had the right to defend its citizens from attacks. He noted that the operation effectively brought the organisers and perpetrators of terrorism to justice, sending a clear message that India would no longer remain passive in the face of cross-border provocations.

The foreign minister also emphasised the importance of targeting the financial backbone of terrorism. He stated that “the financing of terrorism must be choked even as prominent terrorists are sanctioned.” Applying sustained diplomatic and financial pressure, he said, was essential to dismantling the global terror ecosystem.

Striking a warning tone, Jaishankar highlighted the dangers of nations condoning or shielding states that support terrorism. “Those who condone nations that sponsor terror will find that it comes back to bite them,” he cautioned, pointing to the universal risks that terrorism poses beyond South Asia.

India’s diplomatic offensive at the UN went beyond Jaishankar’s address. Just hours earlier, Indian diplomat Petal Gahlot engaged directly with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s remarks. Gahlot dismantled Sharif’s claims of Pakistan’s “victory” by pointing out that during conflicts, it was Pakistan’s own military that pleaded for ceasefires. Her sharp comments, “If destroyed runways and burnt-out hangars look like victory… Pakistan is welcome to enjoy it,” reflected India’s no-nonsense stance.

Through Jaishankar’s speech and Gahlot’s rebuttal, India presented a unified and forceful case at the UNGA. The message was clear: Pakistan’s role in fostering terrorism is undeniable, its glorification of violence is unacceptable, and the international community must unite to dismantle this ecosystem before it further destabilises global peace and security.

Based On NDTV Report