EAM Jaishankar reiterates India's 'zero tolerance against terror' stance against cross-border terrorism in parliament
The remarks follow repeated claims by Trump that he helped broker the ceasefire between India and Pakistan – a claim consistently denied by New Delhi.
Following the 22 April terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir, India attacked Pakistani terror bases on 7 May under its Operation Sindoor. The hostilities continued until 10 May, when a ceasefire was called.
Indian officials have consistently maintained that the ceasefire was brokered bilaterally.
In a cemented statement on India's foreign policy actions in the ongoing Operation Sindoor, Jaishankar echoed Modi's new doctrine of zero tolerance against cross-border terrorism.
Jaishankar, in his address to the Lok Sabha, said talks and terror cannot go hand-in-hand, and that India will not pay heed to threats of nuclear weapons.
"Talks and terror cannot go together. Blood and water cannot flow together," said Jaishankar.
Modi in his address to the nation on 12 May had announced India's new approach against terror.
Jaishankar said the global fraternity had sided with India and its response to the terror attack in Pahalgam, where India attacked key terrorist bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
He said all but three nations along with Pakistan had not supported India. Prime minister Modi received about 20 phone calls from world leaders expressing solidarity, and supporting Operation Sindoor, the external affairs minister told Parliament.
Seven Indian delegations of members of Parliament across political parties had helped convey India's view to foreign governments "against cross-border terrorism, Jaishankar said.
The minister said Operation Sindoor is still ongoing, but did not provide further details.
Jaishankar also said the United Nations Security Council had shown solidarity with India and condemned the Pahalgam attack which left 26 people dead.
'Our goals in the Security Council were two – one, to get an endorsement from the Security Council of the need for accountability, and two, to bring to justice, those who perpetrated these attacks.'
The UNSC statement, dated 25 April, also stated that every nation has the right to defend itself against cross-border terrorism.
'And, most importantly, the council underlined the need to hold the perpetrators, organizers, financiers, and sponsors of this reprehensible act of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice,' said Jaishankar.
'This statement of the UNSC resonated throughout the international community," he added.
Jaishankar's address came after remarks by defence minister Rajnath Singh earlier in the day, who said the Indian armed forces had managed to thwart all attacks by Pakistani forces, and managed to damage key terrorist bases as well as military infrastructure.
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STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Judging by the Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister's US trip and earlier Munir's recent China visit, both much hyped, it is clear that Pakistan is making desperate efforts to keep China and the US in good humour and on the right side by a delicate balancing act, as both the US and China are at loggerheads, but the US needs Pakistan as a strategic ally. [It may be recapitulated that Munir was in the US, including a meeting with Trump, just ahead of the US military strikes at the Iran nuclear sites using the Pakistani skies.] Such US overtures to Pakistan could possibly be cosmetic, more tactical, and not really substantial or meaningful. Only time will tell about their 'relationship' and its tenacity. The writer is a retired IPS officer, adviser NatStrat, Bangladesh watcher and a security analyst. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost's views. 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