India Calls for Global Unity Against Pakistan’s Terror Ties
In a hard-hitting statement, India’s Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar has challenged the West to view New Delhi’s actions against Pakistan as a global fight against terrorism, not just an India-Pakistan issue. Jaishankar, who is currently visiting Brussels to meet with European Union leaders, pointed to Pakistan’s long-standing support for terrorist groups as a major threat to regional and global security.
“Why did Osama bin Laden feel safe in Pakistan?” Jaishankar asked, referring to the Al-Qaeda founder who was killed in a U.S. raid in Abbottabad, Pakistan in 2011. The minister’s comments underscore India’s growing frustration with what it sees as the international community’s failure to hold Pakistan accountable for harboring and supporting terrorist organizations.
India has long accused Pakistan of backing militant groups that have carried out attacks on Indian soil, including the 2008 Mumbai terror strikes and the 2019 Pulwama suicide bombing that killed 40 Indian paramilitary personnel. In the aftermath of the Pulwama attack, India launched airstrikes against a terrorist camp in Pakistan, marking a dramatic escalation of tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors.
Jaishankar’s remarks in Brussels suggest that India is seeking to internationalize the issue of Pakistan’s terror links, rather than treating it solely as a bilateral dispute. “It’s not just a India-Pakistan issue,” he stressed. “It’s an issue of the world, of the region, and of the world seeing where terrorism is coming from.”
The Indian minister’s blunt comments reflect New Delhi’s growing frustration with what it sees as the West’s reluctance to take a harder line against Pakistan. While Pakistan has repeatedly denied supporting terrorist groups, India and other countries have long presented evidence of Islamabad’s links to organizations like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, which have claimed responsibility for attacks in India.
Jaishankar’s visit to Brussels comes as India seeks to strengthen its strategic partnerships with the European Union and other Western powers, in part to counter China’s growing influence in the region. By pressing the terrorism issue, India hopes to rally international support for its efforts to pressure Pakistan and curb cross-border militant activities.
