Bad neighbours persistently continue with terrorism: S Jaishankars warning to Pakistan
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar issued a strong warning to Pakistan over continued terror attacks, calling it a "bad neighbour" while speaking at IIT Madras. Referring to India's response following the Pahalgam attack under Operation Sindoor, Jaishankar asserted that India has the right to defend itself and that no one can dictate how the country exercises that right.
New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday issued a stern warning to Islamabad over its relentless terror attacks. Speaking at an event at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, Jaishankar labelled Pakistan a "bad neighbour.”
Reiterating his message, the External Affairs Minister said that "nobody can tell us what we should or should not do,” referring to India’s retaliatory response following the Pahalgam attack under Operation Sindoor.
Addressing the gathering, Jaishankar criticised Pakistan for repeatedly carrying out terror attacks in India. He said that India’s western neighbour has consistently pursued terrorism. "If a country decides that it will deliberately, persistently, and unrepentantly continue with terrorism, we have the right to defend our people against it. We will exercise that right,” he added.
"How we exercise that right is up to us. Nobody can tell us what we should or should not do. We will do whatever we have to do to defend ourselves,” Jaishankar said.
'Terror threats and peace treaties cannot coexist'
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stated that it would be difficult for India to cooperate on a water-sharing treaty if a country continues to pose a threat to India’s security. The EAM rejected the notion that terror threats and peace treaties can coexist.
"You can’t say ‘please share water with me’ while continuing terrorism against us,” Jaishankar said. The foreign minister highlighted India’s policy of maintaining cooperative relations with its neighbours, while underlining that terrorism violates the principles of being a "good neighbour.”
Operation Sindoor
At least 26 Indians were killed in a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam area. Following the attack, India launched retaliatory strikes in areas of Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir between May 7 and May 10.
Operation Sindoor employed indigenous technology, integrating cyber and information warfare, and signalled zero tolerance for terrorism, ultimately forcing Pakistan to seek a ceasefire. The operation went beyond kinetic strikes, involving a large-scale information campaign, digital fact-checking to counter Pakistani propaganda, and the use of domestic innovation to redefine India’s strategic posture against state-sponsored terror.