External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has firmly stated that terrorism should not be associated with the Kashmir dispute. Speaking in Germany during his ongoing foreign tour, Jaishankar said that such a linkage misrepresents the reality of cross-border terrorism and undermines India’s development efforts in the region.
Referring to the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, J&K, Jaishankar said the incident was aimed at halting the progress and development initiatives being carried out in the Union Territory. He emphasised that terrorism remains a deliberate strategy to spread instability and fear and must not be normalised by tying it to political disputes.
In his remarks, Jaishankar also made it clear that Pakistan had received a strong retaliatory response for trying to intimidate India using terrorism. He said the international community must not make the mistake of equating the victim with the predator, underlining that India, as the target of such attacks, has the right to defend itself and respond firmly.
Germany, a key strategic partner of India, has extended strong diplomatic support on this matter. During a joint statement alongside Jaishankar, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul condemned the Pahalgam terror attack and expressed Germany’s solidarity with India. Wadephul stated that Germany supports India’s right to take necessary steps in self-defence against terrorism and reiterated the need for united international efforts to combat such threats.
Meanwhile, India has launched diplomatic outreach to expose Pakistan’s involvement in cross-border terrorism. As part of these efforts, a delegation of Members of Parliament, led by senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, is touring various countries to present India’s case and explain the objectives of Operation Sindoor — a counter-terror strategy aimed at neutralising terror networks.
The delegation recently reached New York, where they visited the 9/11 Memorial to pay tribute to the victims of the September 11 attacks. Tharoor stated that the memorial served as a powerful reminder that the global community must remain united in its fight against terrorism. He said the delegation’s visit also aimed to highlight that terrorism is a shared concern that transcends borders and ideologies.
India’s diplomatic and strategic engagements continue to emphasise that terrorism is a global menace and should not be legitimised or explained away through political disputes like Kashmir.
