India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar gave a persuasive speech on Saturday at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), where he took a strong position against cross-border terrorism. In an unprecedented reproach of India at the UN, Jaishankar singled out countries that have turned terrorism into state policy, implicitly referring to Pakistan.
India Labels Pakistan as Center of Global Terrorism
Opening his speech with “Namaskar from the people of Bharat,” Jaishankar reminded delegates of the UN’s founding ideals: not just to prevent war, but to build peace, and to uphold the dignity of every human being. He described Pakistan as the epicentre of global terrorism, highlighting the Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir that claimed 26 lives in April.
He stated:
India has confronted this challenge since its independence, having a neighbour that is an epicentre of global terrorism. For decades now, major international terrorist attacks have been traced back to that one country. The most recent example of cross-border barbarism was the murder of innocent tourists in Pahalgam in April this year.”
A Firm Message to the Global Community
Jaishankar emphasized that India has always exercised its right to defend its citizens and bring perpetrators to justice. But he also delivered a broader message to the international community:
“When nations openly declare terrorism a state policy, when terror hubs operate on an industrial scale, when terrorists are publicly glorified, then such actions must be unequivocally condemned.”
He urged concerted global action to choke the financing of terrorism, sanction prominent terrorists, and apply pressure on the entire terrorism ecosystem, warning that those who condone terror sponsorship would face consequences.
Pakistan’s Response
At the UNGA, Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif claimed that India had violated international law after the Pahalgam attack and condemned Indian policies in Kashmir. He asserted that Pakistan would remain in support of the Kashmiris to have their fundamental right of self-determination. India, however, denied the Pakistani claims, saying that Islamabad was celebrating terrorism and indulging in absurd theatrics at the UN.
