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India Gazette
5 days ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
New Delhi slams Western narrative on India-Pakistan conflict
The foreign minister has dismissed speculation about a potential nuclear escalation in South Asia Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has dismissed speculation about a potential nuclear escalation with Pakistan, stating that "at no point was a nuclear level reached," calling the claims "astonishing." In a recent interview with the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Jaishankar suggested that Europe should focus on its own security concerns. He also stressed that European perspectives on conflicts often differ from those of countries in other parts of the world. "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," he said. "If anything, much more is happening with the nuclear issue in your part of the world." Jaishankar, who was visiting the Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany, was questioned by European outlets on the recent military standoff between India and Pakistan, which ended on May 10 after the two countries announced a ceasefire. "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," he said. India's military action was in response to the April 22 attack in India's union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 people, mostly tourists. New Delhi stated that it only targeted nine locations which it said were linked with terrorist organizations, and not Pakistani military or civilian targets. Islamabad, however, accused India of targeting civilians. Pakistan retaliated by attacking Indian military sites, leading to further escalation by both countries. Asked whether the world should thank America for the ceasefire, in reference to US President Donald Trump's claims on the matter, Jaishankar 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." Addressing the difference in views between India and Germany with regard to Russia, Jaishankar suggested that Europe and Asia do not share the same concerns. "Our perspective cannot be the same." In an interview with Dutch broadcaster NOS last week, Jaishankar said Europe is undergoing a "reality check," as it was never compelled to make a choice between security and prosperity. India's historical experience has been shaped since independence by its difficult neighbors, particularly Pakistan and China, which has forced the country to prioritize security, he stressed. "We have never had the comfort and continuity that Europe enjoyed." (
Observer
6 days ago
- Business
- Observer
MoL launches strategy for National Occupational Standards
MUSCAT: The Ministry of Labour (MoL) on Monday launched a strategy for National Occupational Standards (NOS), an initiative aimed to establish an integrated professional system for the development of competencies and the promotion of a labour-market-oriented culture of work and productivity. The ceremony was held under the auspices of Dr Mahad bin Said Baowain, Minister of Labour. The strategy aims to align the outcomes of education and training with labour market requirements, enhance the quality of vocational training and achieve sustainable growth in various economic sectors. It also lays grounds for a free labour market to be run by skilled national manpower. The strategy's approach (to develop a highly qualified national workforce) aligns with the goals of Oman Vision 2040. - ONA
The Wire
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Wire
‘US Did Call Up, But Ceasefire Was Negotiated Directly Between India and Pakistan': Jaishankar
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar with Netherlands Foreign Affairs Minister Caspar Veldkamp during a meeting, in The Hague, Netherlands. Photo: PTI Real journalism holds power accountable Since 2015, The Wire has done just that. But we can continue only with your support. Contribute Now New Delhi: External affairs minister S. Jaishankar has said that while the United States did reach out to India during the recent conflict with Pakistan after Operation Sindoor, the cessation of firing and military action was 'something which was negotiated directly between India and Pakistan.' In an interview with Dutch news broadcaster NOS, Jaishankar said that the history of Pakistan is that it has used terrorism across the border as a way of trying to pressurise India. 'Well, the US was in the United States. I mean, obviously there were… US… Secretary of State Rubio and Vice President Vance had called up. Rubio had spoken to me. Vance had spoken to our prime minister. You know they had their view and they were talking to us and they were talking to the Pakistanis as indeed were some other countries. I mean the United States was not alone in this…,' Jaishankar told the interviewer, during his recent visit to Netherlands. 'When two countries are engaged in a conflict it is natural that countries in the world call up and ask and try to indicate concern and what they can do in such a situation. But the ceasefire, the cessation of firing and military action was something which was negotiated directly between India and Pakistan,' he added. Earlier, US President Donald Trump had claimed to have mediated a ceasefire between the two countries. Since then, Trump has continued to claim credit including saying he used trade as leverage to avoid a nuclear conflict. But India had rejected Trump's account of ceasefire with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on May 13 publicly asserting that the decision to halt hostilities followed Indian military action that compelled Pakistan to stand down. Jaishankar reiterated this in the interview with NOS. 'We have a mechanism to talk to each other, a hotline' 'You know we have a mechanism to talk to each other, a hotline. So on the 10th of May it was a Pakistani army which sent a message that they were ready to stop firing and we responded accordingly,' said Jaishankar. 'So they've (Pakistan) also pursued a radical, I would say extremist religious agenda using terrorism across the border as a way of trying to pressurise us. This has been their history. Now if you ask me how do we propose to deal with it? We propose to deal with it bilaterally with the Pakistanis. It is something that we and the Pakistanis have to settle one-to-one,' said Jaishankar. Jaishankar also said that since 1947, Pakistan has illegally occupied a part of Kashmir. 'No, because you know Kashmir is part of India. No country negotiates a part of its territory. So for us Kashmir is part of India. There is one segment of Kashmir which is today under occupation of Pakistan illegally since 1947-48. So we are… you know we would like to discuss with them when they propose to leave that part and hand it back,' said Jaishankar. When the interviewer asked if Trump has no role to play in this, Jaishankar said, 'It is something between us and the Pakistanis. Now his rationale in offering seems to be if you put aside those conflicts – he doesn't like conflicts – you can get rich together.' 'India's security challenges far more threatening' Jaishankar said that India's security challenges were far more threatening than those of European countries and thus India had to prioritise security. 'Look at the end of the day growth comes from strong fundamentals. You know fine, I mean we've had whatever we've had, the conflict over the last few weeks but I think you know the fundamentals of India's growth, the fact that today we are heading to be a 4 trillion economy, we have, you know, as I say we are in a bandwidth of 6 to 8% growth rate for decades ahead of us, we have very sound demographics in our favour,' said Jaishankar. Jaishankar also spoke on the Pahalgam attack and said that it was intended to create religious discord. 'It started because it was triggered by a very barbaric terrorist attack in the Indian Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir where 26 tourists were murdered in front of their families after ascertaining their faith and it was done in a way in which it was intended to harm tourism which is the mainstay of the Kashmir economy and to create religious discord deliberately,' said Jaishankar. 'And to understand that you've got to also see that on the Pakistani side you have a Pakistani leadership, especially the army chief, who's very driven by extreme religious outlook. So there is clearly some connect between the views that were expressed and the behaviour that was done,' he added. Jaishankar said that India knows that the attackers were linked to the Lashkar-e-Tayyaba and along with the command centres of the terrorist groups, which were hit on May 7.
Indian Express
6 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘Astonished by the question': Jaishankar rejects nuclear war fears over India-Pak clash
India and Pakistan were never on the brink of nuclear conflict during their recent military clash, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar said in an interview with German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, challenging Western assumptions about South Asia and dismissing US claims of brokering the ceasefire. Asked whether the world had the US to thank for the May 10 ceasefire, Jaishankar credited India's armed forces instead. 'The cessation of firing was agreed between the military commanders of both sides through direct contact,' he said. 'The morning before, we effectively hit and incapacitated Pakistan's main airbases and air defence 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.' India and Pakistan agreed on a ceasefire after three days of cross-border hostilities. On May 7, India launched airstrikes under 'Operation Sindoor' on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians. Pakistan responded by launching hundreds of drones at Indian military installations and civilian areas. India then targeted Pakistani military facilities, causing heavy damage. Soon after, Pakistan's military reached out to India and a ceasefire was agreed upon. While the Donald Trump administration has publicly taken credit for facilitating the ceasefire — with Islamabad also thanking Washington — New Delhi has maintained that it was a bilateral decision between the two neighbours. Jaishankar said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance had expressed concern but played no direct role in negotiations. 'We made one thing very clear to everybody who spoke to us, not just the US but to everybody, saying if the Pakistanis want to stop fighting, they need to tell us. We need to hear it from them. Their General has to call up our General and say this. And that is what happened,' he said in an earlier interview with Dutch broadcaster NOS. Asked if the ceasefire returned the region to pre-conflict conditions, Jaishankar said the message to terrorists was unambiguous: there would be consequences. '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.' When the interviewer asked, 'How far away was the world from a nuclear conflict between India and Pakistan?' Jaishankar expressed disbelief. '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. We were able to show them that we could disable their air defence systems. Then the firing stopped at their request.' 'At no point was a nuclear level reached,' he added. '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.' The minister was also asked whether China played any role in the conflict. 'You know, many of the weapons systems that Pakistan has are of Chinese origin and the two countries are very close. You can draw your own conclusions from that,' he replied. On questions regarding India's ties with Russia and its stance on the Ukraine war, Jaishankar pushed back strongly against Western expectations. 'Relationships do not develop because one partner simply adopts the concerns of the other as their own. Relationships are built on finding common ground. For you in Europe, other concerns and worries are important than for me in Asia. When you think of conflict, you think of Ukraine. When I think of conflict, I think of Pakistan, terrorism, China and our borders. Our perspective cannot be the same.' When the interviewer pressed him further on Russia's violation of international law, Jaishankar responded: 'As soon as you bring a rule or norm into play, it is again linked to the situation that is your priority. You talk about rules and think of Ukraine. I talk about rules and I think of my own borders, of Pakistan, which has violated my borders, and China, which has done the same. So when you talk about borders and territorial integrity, I ask you: What about my borders?' As the interviewer continued to challenge India's alignment with Moscow, the minister hit back by highlighting European ties with Pakistan. 'My neighbour Pakistan has caused every conceivable problem under the sun — from nuclear weaponisation, to the transfer of nuclear technology to irresponsible partners, to terrorism. But doesn't Germany also do business with Pakistan?'
Miami Herald
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
India, Pakistan battle for global sympathy after border truce
Two weeks after pulling back from the brink of all-out war, India and Pakistan are now racing to win over global opinion. Both sides are sending delegations to global capitals to influence international perception of the conflict, as tensions between the nuclear-armed rivals continue to simmer. New Delhi this week dispatched seven teams of diplomats and lawmakers to capitals of some 30 countries, including in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa and South America as part of its publicity campaign. The delegates have been told to detail Islamabad's history of supporting militants, and its alleged involvement in the deadly April 22 attacks in the India-administered part of Kashmir, which triggered the latest conflict. India is also pushing back against the perception - reinforced by U.S. President Donald Trump's social media posts - that the two sides were equals in their dispute over the territory of Kashmir, and that they had agreed to mediated peace talks. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday ruled out talks with Pakistan and vowed military action if faced with further terrorist attacks. Separately, India's foreign minister told Dutch broadcaster NOS that the May 10 truce was negotiated directly between India and Pakistan, refuting Trump's claim of brokering the ceasefire. 'For many Indians, Trump's messaging on mediation amounts to drawing a false equivalence by treating India and Pakistan the same,' said Michael Kugelman, a South Asia analyst based in Washington. 'This is a major setback for New Delhi, given that it amounts to a victory for Islamabad in the battle of narratives that has endured even after the fighting stopped.' Pakistan is also planning its own diplomatic initiative, though on a much smaller scale. Its government has said it's sending seven officials to three European capitals and the U.S. to make the case that it, not India, is the victim. The dueling efforts are playing out almost two weeks after both countries agreed to a ceasefire, following days of intense drone and air strikes and artillery and small arms exchanges between the two nations. The fighting touched off after India blamed Pakistan for what it called a terrorist attack that killed 26 civilians, mostly Indian tourists. Pakistan denied responsibility. Trump's attempt to take credit for the ceasefire has frustrated Indian officials, as have his assertions that trade was used as a bargaining chip to negotiate the truce. New Delhi has denied those claims as well as a statement by Secretary of State Marco Rubio that the two sides agreed to begin talks on a broad set of issues at 'a neutral site.' In their diplomatic outreach, a main focus of the message from Indian officials will be Pakistan's alleged links to terrorism and its purported involvement in the April 22 attack on civilians, said Rajeev Kumar Rai, a member of parliament who is part of a delegation visiting Spain, Greece, Slovenia and Russia. The teams will specifically raise Pakistan's alleged support for U.N.-designated terror groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, according to officials familiar with the outreach, who asked not to be identified because the discussions were private. They will also inform foreign officials that India remains resolved to respond to future violence in a manner it deems fit, they said. India's Ministry of External Affairs didn't immediately respond to an email seeking further information. Of the nations on India's list to visit, roughly a third are members of the Organization of Islamic Countries, a multilateral body that claims to speak for the Muslim world. Pakistan is also a member of that group, and has lobbied it for greater intervention in the Kashmir conflict. New Delhi also aims to target Pakistan's economy, which is only beginning to recover from a prolonged crisis. India plans to urge the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force to take renewed action against Pakistan, a government official said on Friday in New Delhi. The anti-money laundering watchdog removed Pakistan from its terror-financing list in 2022, easing its access to trade and investments. India wants Pakistan returned to the gray list, the official said. For its part, Pakistan has said the goal of its outreach is to highlight what it says are its 'consistent and constructive efforts to ensure peace and stability in the region,' according to the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan. It said its officials will 'expose India's propaganda campaigns.' The Pakistan officials will also bring up India's suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty - a critical water-sharing pact - that can have serious long-term consequences for Pakistan. 'Breaking the treaty at will is irresponsible behavior,' said Khurram Dastgir Khan, who is part of Pakistan's delegation. 'If the water issue is not solved, then we are looking at another war in six to ten years,' he said. New Delhi suspended the treaty, which governs the distribution of waters from six rivers flowing from the Himalayas, after the Kashmir attacks. 'President Trump has demonstrated more openness to working with Pakistan than we saw under President Biden, so this moment does represent a meaningful opportunity for Pakistan to reassert its relevance in Washington,' said Elizabeth Threlkeld, senior fellow and director of South Asia at the Stimson Center in Washington. For India, the diplomatic effort is complicated by the fact that it continues to press ahead with trade talks with the U.S., which it hopes will remove Trump's so-called reciprocal tariffs on the South Asian country's exports. 'The challenge for policymakers in the U.S. and New Delhi will be to navigate sensitivities over U.S. mediation while continuing to make progress in other areas of the relationship, including trade and defense,' Threlkeld said. --- (With assistance from Khalid Qayum, Faseeh Mangi, Ruchi Bhatia and Sanjit Das.) Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
