Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: Calling Pakistan a “vile neighbour promoting terrorism,” External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar warned that India will not remain passive if its sovereignty is threatened. Speaking at an event hosted by IIT Madras, he asserted India’s unwavering stance on national security and counter-terrorism, rejecting any foreign pressure or advice on how to respond.
India’s Right to Defend Itself
Jaishankar emphasized that while many countries face challenging neighbours, India’s situation is uniquely serious—clearly referring to Pakistan. He noted that terrorism has been institutionalized as state policy across the border. “If any country deliberately and persistently promotes terrorism, India has every right to protect its citizens—and we will exercise that right,” he declared.
Terrorism Undermines Peaceful Agreements
Drawing a link between terrorism and cross-border agreements, Jaishankar pointed to the decades-old water-sharing treaty with Pakistan. He remarked that such agreements are built on good neighbourly trust, which terrorism erodes. “You can’t demand water and simultaneously export terror,” he said, underlining the contradiction in Pakistan’s stance.
