India Blasts Switzerland Over Minority Remark at UNHRC, Calls It ‘Shallow and Ill-Informed’ (WATCH)

India slammed Switzerland at the UN Human Rights Council, calling its remarks on minorities “shallow and ill-informed.” Kshitij Tyagi also rebuked Pakistan as a “failed state,” highlighting India’s commitment to democracy and protecting citizens.

India strongly rejected the recent remarks made by Switzerland on its treatment of minorities, calling the statements “surprising, shallow, and ill-informed.” Kshitij Tyagi, Counsellor at India’s Permanent Mission in Geneva, delivered a hard-hitting response during the General Debate on the oral update by the High Commissioner at the 60th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on Tuesday.

Tyagi said Switzerland, despite being a close friend and partner of India, “should focus on its own challenges such as racism, systematic discrimination and xenophobia.” 

He added, “As the world's largest, most diverse, and vibrant democracy with a civilisational embrace of pluralism, India remains ready to help Switzerland address these concerns.”

Swiss Delegate Calls on India to Protect Minorities

The controversy arose when the Swiss delegate urged India to “take effective measures to protect minorities and uphold the rights to the freedom of expression and the freedom of the media.”

India’s response, delivered by Tyagi, was clear and firm. “Since Switzerland holds the Presidency of the UN Human Rights Council, it is all the more important for it to avoid wasting the Council’s time with narratives that are blatantly false and do not do justice to the reality of India,” he said.

Tyagi Highlights India’s Pluralism and Democratic Values

During his address, Tyagi emphasized India’s historical and civilizational commitment to pluralism. He stated, “Instead, [Switzerland] should focus on its own challenges… India remains ready to help Switzerland address these concerns.”

His words painted India not just as a defender of its policies, but as a nation deeply rooted in diversity and democracy, with a consistent track record of protecting its citizens and minorities.

India Also Targets Pakistan as a “Failed State”

Tyagi did not limit his response to Switzerland. He delivered a pointed critique of Pakistan, describing it as a “dump truck of recycled lies” and a “failed state surviving on instability and handouts.”

He added, “Our measured and proportionate response to the Pahalgam attack made that sufficiently clear. We need no lessons from a terror sponsor, no sermons from a persecutor of minorities, no advice from a state that has conjured its own credibility. India will continue to protect its citizens with unwavering resolve. We will defend our sovereignty without compromise.”

Historical Context: Tyagi’s Previous Responses to Pakistan

This is not the first time Tyagi has publicly rebuked Pakistan at the UNHRC. In February, during the 58th Regular Session, he had called Pakistan a “failed state” reliant on “international handouts.” During that session, he criticized Islamabad’s continued dissemination of “falsehoods handed down by its military terrorist complex” and dismissed its claims on Jammu and Kashmir as “baseless and malicious.”

India’s statement at the UNHRC reflects a dual strategy: countering what it perceives as misinformed criticism while asserting its own achievements in democracy, pluralism, and human rights. Tyagi’s remarks reinforced India’s position that it will not accept outside interference in its internal matters and will continue to respond firmly to any perceived threats to its sovereignty.