At no point was a nuclear level reached: EAM Jaishankar on India-Pak conflict

United News of India

26-05-2025

Berlin/New Delhi, May 26 (UNI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has stated that at no point was a nuclear level reached, during the military stand-off between India and Pakistan during Operation Sindoor.
In an interview with the German newspaper FAZ, the EAM also said that the Indian military action was to be thanked for the ceasefire with Pakistan.
Asked how far the world was from a nuclear conflict between India and Pakistan, he said:
'Very, very far away. I'm frankly astonished by your question. We have terrorist targets. Those were very measured, carefully considered and non-escalating steps.
'After that, the Pakistani military opened fire on us.'
He said that India was able to show Pakistan that it can disable their air defense systems. 'Then the firing stopped at their request.'
'At no point was a nuclear level reached. There is a narrative as if everything that happens in our part of the world leads directly to a nuclear problem.
'That disturbs me a lot because it encourages terrible activities like terrorism. If anything, much more is happening with the nuclear issue in your part of the world,' he retorted.
Asked if the ceasefire has restored the situation before the four-day conflict with Pakistan, he said:
'We did what we set out to do. We have sent a clear signal to the terrorists that there is a price to be paid for carrying out such attacks, as they did on us in Kashmir in April.
'The firing was then started by the Pakistani military. We fired back in self-defense and once the Pakistanis understood that they were taking a harmful course, we were able to stop firing. This situation has not changed for two weeks, that is the status.'
Asked if India has 'been able to convince your partners that the link between Pakistan and the terrorists is clear', he said:
'Anyone who is not blind can see that the terrorist organizations are openly operating from the cities and towns of Pakistan. That is no secret.
'The UN Security Council terror list is full of Pakistani names and places, and these are the very places we have targeted. So please don't think that something is only going on behind the scenes.
'In Pakistan, terrorism is a very open business. A business that is supported, financed, organized and used by the state. And by their military.'
Asked 'Do we have America to thank for the ceasefire, as Washington portrays it,' he said:
'The cessation of firing was agreed between the military commanders of both sides through direct contact. The morning before, we effectively hit and incapacitated Pakistan's main airbases and air defense system.
'So who should I thank for the cessation of hostilities? I thank the Indian military because it was the Indian military action that made Pakistan say: We are ready to stop.'
UNI RN