'Nuclear blackmail can't stop us from responding': India in its message to US on Pakistan-sponsored terrorism

Economic Times

20 hours ago

India has firmly asserted its right to retaliate against terrorism, dismissing any constraints, including nuclear threats. External Affairs Minister Jaishankar emphasized that there would be no impunity for terrorists or their state sponsors. Defence Minister Singh conveyed to the US that India reserves the right to preemptively strike against cross-border terror threats emanating from Pakistan.
Tired of too many ads?
Remove Ads
Tired of too many ads?
Remove Ads
'India reserves right to pre-empt terror threats'
Jaishankar: India has every right to defend its people
India has made it unequivocally clear to the United States that it will not let the threat of nuclear retaliation deter its right to act against terrorism.External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar warned that there will be no impunity for terrorists, nor for the governments that shelter and finance them."We are very clear that there will be no impunity for terrorists, that we will not deal with them any longer as proxies and spare the govt which supports and finances and, in many ways, motivates them. We will not allow nuclear blackmail to prevent us from responding" he said in the US, as quoted by ToI, in a blunt statement amid renewed Pakistani efforts to internationalise the so-called Kashmir issue.India has maintained that Kashmir is a bilateral dispute, and that New Delhi will not accept any third party mediation.India's firm messaging comes just days after Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir was hosted in Washington, prompting concern in New Delhi over Washington's engagements with Rawalpindi's military establishment.Against this backdrop, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also conveyed India's security red lines to the US, underscoring that India retains the right to act—pre-emptively if needed—against any cross-border terror threats emanating from Pakistan.During a 20-minute phone conversation with US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh conveyed that India reserves the right to defend itself and to pre-empt future attacks from across the border, according to sources cited by ToI.Singh reiterated that 'India's actions were measured, non-escalatory, proportionate and focused' during Operation Sindoor, which was launched on May 7 to target terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).Singh also appreciated the United States' continued support for India's fight against terrorism, while urging faster movement on pending defence projects. These include the delivery of GE-F404 jet engines for the indigenous Tejas Mark-1A fighters, and the six Apache helicopters ordered in 2020, which are now expected to arrive by the end of the year.The ministers also discussed enhancing operational cooperation, logistics sharing, and expanding joint military exercises as part of strengthening bilateral defence ties.At a press briefing during his ongoing visit to the United States, EAM S Jaishankar made a strong pitch for zero tolerance against terrorism, as reported by ET Bureau.He stated that India would continue to exercise its sovereign right to respond to terror threats and expects international partners to recognise that stance.'A word about terrorism in the light of our recent experience. The world must display zero tolerance. Victims and perpetrators must never be equated. India has every right to defend its people against terrorism and we will exercise that right. We expect our Quad partners to understand and appreciate that,' Jaishankar said.