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Jaishankar warns Pakistan of a "very, very firm response" to any military aggression following India's targeted cross-border strikes under Operation Sindoor.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday issued a sharp warning to Pakistan against any further escalation following India’s Operation Sindoor on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, asserting that India’s response to military aggression will be “very, very firm.”
Speaking during the 20th India-Iran Joint Commission Meeting in New Delhi, Jaishankar told his Iranian counterpart that the strikes, carried out on May 7, were in direct response to the “barbaric terrorist attack” in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22, which killed 26 civilians in Pahalgam.
“Excellency, you are visiting India at a time when we are responding to a particularly barbaric terrorist attack on 22 April in the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. This attack compelled us to respond on 7th May by striking at cross-border terrorist infrastructure,” the EAM stated.
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Jaishankar's Warning to Pakistan
“Our response was targeted and measured. It is not our intention to escalate this situation. However, if there are military attacks on us, there should be no doubt that it will be met with a very very firm response,” he warned Pakistan.
The External Affairs Minister’s message comes at a critical time, a day after India launched ‘Operation Sindoor’—a military campaign aimed at dismantling terror networks across the border. According to sources quoting Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's statement during an all-party meeting, at least 100 terrorists were neutralised in coordinated missile strikes on nine targets, including Jaish-e-Mohammad’s base in Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba’s headquarters in Muridke.
While welcoming the Iranian delegation and highlighting the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, Jaishankar made it clear that national security concerns are paramount. “As a neighbour and close partner, it is important that you have a good understanding of this situation,” he said.
Pakistan Authorises Armed Forces to Retaliate
Jaishanskar's warning to Pakistan came a day after Pakistan's National Security Council announced that the country's armed forces have been given full authority to retaliate in response to India's Operation Sindoor.
An NSC statement warned that in consonance with Article-51 of the UN Charter, Pakistan reserves the right to respond, in self-defence, “at a time, place, and manner of its choosing” to avenge the alleged loss of innocent Pakistani lives in the Indian strikes.
“The Armed Forces of Pakistan have duly been authorised to undertake corresponding actions in this regard,” the NSC statement said.
The NSC meeting described the strikes as India’s “unprovoked” and unlawful act of war” and said the NSC “unequivocally condemned” what it called as the blatant violations of Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, “which manifestly constitutes acts of war under international law,” the statement said.
“The deliberate targeting of civilians, including innocent women and children, by the Indian military constitutes a heinous and shameful crime that is in violation of all norms of human behaviour and the provisions of international law,” it said.