Overview
- Speaking at IIT Madras, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said India will decide on its own how to defend its citizens and will not accept outside prescriptions on responding to terrorism.
- He linked cooperation to conduct, arguing that a state cannot seek water-sharing while enabling terrorism, referencing India’s decision to place the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance after the April 2025 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians.
- Jaishankar contrasted India’s treatment of cooperative neighbours with hostile ones, citing vaccine supplies, fuel and food support, and roughly $4 billion in assistance to Sri Lanka, and noted his recent visit to Dhaka for Khaleda Zia’s funeral.
- Pakistan’s Foreign Office formally rejected Jaishankar’s assertions, calling them irresponsible, accusing India of promoting instability and terrorism, and citing the case of Kulbhushan Jadhav in its rebuttal.
- The Foreign Office said the Indus Waters Treaty is an international agreement and warned that Pakistan will take necessary measures to protect its legitimate rights under the pact.