In a hard-hitting interview with Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar accused Pakistan of direct involvement in terrorism and warned of serious consequences if cross-border terror attacks continue.
During his diplomatic visit to the Netherlands, Jaishankar said the Pakistani state and military are “up to their necks” in supporting terrorism, rejecting the global narrative that Islamabad is unaware of terrorist activities originating from its territory.
“The most notorious terrorists on the UN sanctions list are all in Pakistan. Their addresses, activities, and contacts are known. They operate in big cities in broad daylight,” Jaishankar said, drawing a stark comparison to potential military camps operating in European cities like Amsterdam.
Jaishankar also emphasized India’s position that terrorism and the Jammu & Kashmir issue are separate, and reiterated that terrorism is an “unacceptable international crime” that cannot be justified or tolerated.
Referring to the recent terrorist attack in Srinagar on April 22, which killed 26 people, Jaishankar warned,
“If terrorist attacks from Pakistan continue, there will be consequences. Pakistan must understand that very well.”
He added that terrorists deliberately targeted Kashmir’s tourism sector and gave the attack a religious tint, which he said should be condemned globally.
Jaishankar praised Operation Sindoor, launched by Indian forces earlier this month, calling it a firm response against terrorism. He underlined that Jammu and Kashmir legally belongs to India and that “illegal occupiers” must vacate Indian territory.
On the Kashmir issue, he firmly rejected third-party mediation, including from former U.S. President Donald Trump, stating,
“This is something we will do together with Pakistan,” reinforcing India’s longstanding view that any dialogue with Pakistan must be bilateral.
Jaishankar’s statements echo recent remarks by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who declared that India will crush terrorism and that “Operation Sindoor is our new form of justice.”
