Overview
- Speaking at IIT Madras, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said India will decide on its own how to respond to terrorism and will do whatever is necessary to defend its citizens.
- He linked cooperation to "good neighbourliness," arguing a country cannot seek water-sharing while enabling terrorism, referencing India’s decision to place the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance after the 2025 Pahalgam attack.
- In an apparent nod to Operation Sindoor, he indicated India had acted against terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan‑occupied Kashmir following the April 22 attack that killed 26 civilians.
- Pakistan’s Foreign Office, through spokesperson Tahir Andrabi, rejected Jaishankar’s assertions, accused India of deflection, and warned it would safeguard rights under the Indus Waters Treaty.
- Jaishankar contrasted "bad neighbours" with India’s support for cooperative partners, citing COVID-19 vaccines, fuel and food assistance, and a $4 billion package to Sri Lanka as examples of its neighbourhood policy.