External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday issued a sharp rebuke to Pakistan’s repeated denials of involvement in cross-border terrorism, telling Dutch daily De Volkskrant during a visit to the Netherlands this week that “the state is involved” and that “the army is up to its neck in it.”
On a diplomatic trip aimed at strengthening economic and strategic ties with Amsterdam—India’s second-largest trading partner in the European Union—Jaishankar also seized the opportunity to make India’s position on Pakistan’s role in terrorism crystal clear.
When asked about his December 2022 remark labelling Pakistan the “epicentre of terrorism,” Jaishankar said, “I’m not suggesting it… I’m stating it.”
“Suppose there were military centres in the middle of Amsterdam, in which tens of thousands gather for military training. Would you say your government knows nothing about that?”
“We should not go along with the narrative ‘Pakistan does not know what is going on’. The most notorious terrorists on the United Nations’ list are in Pak. They operate in the big cities… in broad daylight. Their addresses are known… their activities are known… their mutual contacts are known.”
“So let’s not pretend Pakistan is not involved. The state is involved. The army is up to its neck in it.”
The External Affairs Minister said that the recent Pahalgam attack—carried out by terrorists who, sought to “destroy things in Kashmir for their own, very limited, selfish purposes”.
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“They deliberately gave the attack a religious tint. The world should not accept such practices.”
He dismissed any attempts to link terrorism with the long-standing Kashmir dispute, calling the former a “completely unacceptable international crime” that cannot be justified.
“As for Jammu and Kashmir, it is a historical fact that it joined India when India and Pakistan separated in 1947. Our position is that the illegal occupiers should return their illegally occupied parts to the rightful owner… and that is us.”
Jaishankar also categorically ruled out any scope for international mediation in the conflict, against US President Donald Trump’s claims of having brokered the May 12 ceasefire between India and Pakistan.
“This is something we will do together with Pakistan.”
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“Our message is ‘yes, the ceasefire has put an end to military actions for now… but if terrorist attacks from Pak continue, there will be consequences’. Pak must understand this.”
Trump has publicly taken credit for helping halt the 100-hour military escalation between the two countries earlier this month, claiming he “sure as hell helped” calm tensions. India, however, has repeatedly denied any such involvement by Washington.
The minister’s tough language echoes Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent remarks, including a warning that long-term peace talks with Pakistan would only be possible if Islamabad dismantles terror infrastructure on its soil and vacates what Delhi calls illegally occupied territories in Jammu and Kashmir.
In the wake of the deadly Pahalgam attack, Modi also declared that India’s doctrine on terrorism had changed, signalling the country’s willingness to strike across the border without hesitation.
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Operation Sindoor—the military operation in response to the attack—remains ongoing, with the Prime Minister reaffirming that “India will strike at the heart of terror decisively if attacked.”
India has repeatedly called on the international community to see terrorism as a global threat that demands collective action—while making it equally clear that it views the Kashmir issue as a bilateral matter.
‘Sanction culture is a very Western way’
Asked whether India could mediate in global conflicts like the Russia–Ukraine war, Jaishankar said India remains open to contributing to peace efforts, but that such roles depend on the willingness of the parties involved. “India has a position that many countries in the Global South probably share. We strive for a peaceful solution to this conflict,” he said.
He also defended India’s refusal to impose sanctions on Russia, contrasting India’s diplomatic approach with that of Western nations. “That sanction culture is a very Western way of maintaining international relations. We do not do national sanctions,” he explained.
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On whether India could be more vocal internationally in conflicts such as the war in Gaza, as countries like South Africa have been, Jaishankar pushed back against the idea of mimicking Western political behaviour. “I conduct a foreign policy that suits our national character and our national interests,” he said. “Following your logic, I can also say: why doesn’t Europe behave more like us? That would be a good idea.”