Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar has called Pakistan a poor neighbor that fosters terrorism and asserted India's full right to defend itself. Speaking at an event organized at IIT Madras, Jaishankar remarked that India will safeguard its security and national interests and will not heed external pressure or advice on the approach to counter terrorism.
The Foreign Minister emphasized India's right to protect its citizens when a neighboring country perpetuates terrorism. We will do whatever is necessary. You cannot expect us to share water with you while you continue to spread terrorism in our country.
In no uncertain terms, Jaishankar declared that India's response to terrorism would be determined by India alone. He added that decisions on how to utilize our rights are ours to make. No one can dictate what we should or should not do. We will undertake whatever is necessary for our security.
Without naming Pakistan, S. Jaishankar noted that while many countries deal with difficult neighbors, India's scenario is graver as terrorism is adopted as a state policy there. If a nation deliberately and continually promotes terrorism, we hold full rights to protect our citizens and will employ these rights.
He also linked cross-border terrorism to water-sharing agreements. Jaishankar noted that decades ago, India made such water-sharing agreements, but these agreements rely on good neighborly relations. He asserted that if terrorism persists for decades, good neighborly relations cannot sustain. Without healthy relations, benefits cannot accrue. You cannot say ‘Share water with us and allow us to continue terrorism.’ These two cannot coexist.
Notably, India-Pakistan relations worsened in April 2025, when Pakistan-supported terrorists killed several tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.
