India responds decisively to Pakistan’s comments on Kashmir during the UNGA

New Delhi, September 29: In a strong rebuttal at the 79th UN General Assembly, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar took direct aim at Pakistan, countering Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s comments on Jammu and Kashmir.

In response to Sharif’s story, which depicted Kashmir as a conflict akin to Palestine and criticized India’s 2019 decision to revoke Article 370, Jaishankar used the platform to push India’s position among the to highlight and criticize Pakistan’s role in promoting cross-border terrorism.

“Many countries are lagging behind due to circumstances beyond their control. But some make conscious choices with disastrous consequences. An important example is our neighboring country, Pakistan,” Jaishankar said. Without denouncing Pakistan’s policies, Jaishankar accused its leadership of radicalizing its own people and exporting terrorism. “If this polity breeds such fanaticism among its people, its GDP can only be measured in terms of radicalization, and its exports in the form of terrorism. Today we see the ills it tried to address in others consume its own society. It cannot blame the world; this is just karma,” Jaishankar added, using the concept of karma to highlight the consequences of Pakistan’s actions.

Jaishankar’s comments came after Shehbaz Sharif in his speech a day earlier had again raised the Kashmir issue and called for the reversal of India’s decision to abrogate Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir. Sharif described the situation in Kashmir as a “century-long struggle” for freedom and self-determination, drawing parallels with the Palestinian cause. He further asserted that for any peace to be sustainable, “India must roll back the unilateral and illegal measures of August 2019 and engage in dialogue for peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir issue.”

In his sharp response, Jaishankar firmly rejected these claims and stated: “A dysfunctional nation that covets the land of others must be exposed and fought against. We heard some bizarre claims about it yesterday on this forum. So let me make India’s position perfectly clear.” Leaving no ambiguity on the Indian view on the issue, he emphasized that the only issue that remained to be resolved between the two nations was the vacation of “illegally occupied Indian territory by Pakistan”, besides abandoning Pakistan’s deep-rooted attachment to terrorism.

Hours before Jaishankar’s speech, India had exercised its right of reply at the UN General Assembly, where Bhavika Mangalanandan, India’s First Secretary at the Permanent Mission to the UN, issued a sharp rebuttal to Sharif’s speech. Mangalanandan accused Pakistan of being a country “run by the military” with a global reputation for “terrorism, narcotics and cross-border crime.” In a powerful report, she noted: “This meeting sadly witnessed a travesty this morning. A country led by its military, with a global reputation for terrorism, narcotics trafficking and cross-border crime, has had the audacity to attack the world’s largest democracy.”

Pakistan’s long-standing support for terrorism has been a central point of contention in relations with India. Mangalanandan emphasized that Pakistan has “used cross-border terrorism as a weapon against its neighbors” and cited examples of attacks on the Indian Parliament, the financial center of Mumbai and other civilian areas. “The list is long,” she added, reminding the global forum of Pakistan’s track record of promoting terrorism.

Jaishankar’s speech went beyond the regional focus to cover a wide range of global issues, reflecting India’s perspective on multilateralism and international challenges. He emphasized the need for reform of global institutions such as the UN, pointing out that the current system is failing to address pressing global challenges such as conflict, terrorism and development. “The world is yet to recover from the ravages of the Covid pandemic. A war in Ukraine is already well into its third year. The conflict in Gaza is becoming increasingly consequential,” said Jaishankar, describing the state of affairs in the world as deeply polarized and fractured.

Jaishankar pointed out that many countries, especially in the South, are struggling to achieve their development goals due to unfair trade practices, rising debt and the impact of climate change. “Unfair trade practices threaten jobs, just as unviable projects increase debt levels. “Any connectivity that ignores sovereignty and territorial integrity takes on a strategic connotation,” he noted, a statement that could be seen as an indirect criticism of initiatives such as China’s Belt and Road project, which is criticized for leaving smaller countries in the debt trap pushes.

India’s role as a leader in the Global South was a central theme in Jaishankar’s speech. He highlighted India’s efforts to support the vulnerable sections of the population, women, farmers and youth, through targeted policies and digital initiatives. He cited examples of government efforts to provide piped water, electricity and financial assistance directly to citizens, noting the transformative power of these programs. “A digital public infrastructure and a people’s pharmacy today are examples of what India can easily offer to the world. It is also an alternative vision where technology is used to empower, not dominate,” Jaishankar said.

He further underlined India’s commitment to supporting other developing countries by organizing Global South summits and contributing to the global commons. “We have convened three Global South Summits, the most recent in August 2024,” he said, emphasizing the need for developing countries to come together and express their shared concerns.

Looking back to the future, Jaishankar reiterated that India’s quest for a “Viksit Bharat” (developed India) will have global implications and will be closely followed by the international community. India’s achievements in space exploration, fintech and vaccine distribution were highlighted as symbols of the country’s growing stature on the global stage. “If India lands on the moon, rolls out its own 5G stack, ships vaccines around the world, embraces fintech or hosts so many Global Capability Centres, there is a message here,” he said.

Jaishankar called for a transformation in the way the world approaches global issues, urged greater cooperation and emphasized the role of the UN in promoting peace and development. “The UN is a testimony to the agreed principles and shared goals of the world order. Respect for international law and obligations are among the most important in that regard,” he said. He also reiterated India’s strong stand against terrorism, stating that “all its forms and manifestations must be resolutely combated”, and urged that punishment of global terrorists should not be hampered for political reasons.