Terror attacks traced to that one country: Jaishankar targets Pakistan at UN General Assembly

Emphasising on India’s three pillars, Atmanirbharta (self-reliance), Atmaraksha (self-protection) and Atmavishwas (self-confidence), he said, “When it came to trade, non-market practices gamed rules and regimes….we now see tariff volatility and uncertain market access as a result” – a veiled reference to the Trump administration’s moves on high tariffs on countries including India.

“In the case of conflicts, especially Ukraine and Gaza, even those not directly involved have felt its impact… Nations who can engage all sides must step up in the search for solutions. India calls for an end to hostilities and will support any initiative that will restore peace.”

Flagging the scourge of terrorism, Jaishankar said, “While asserting our rights, we must also firmly face up to threats… Countering terrorism is a particular priority because it synthesises bigotry, violence, intolerance and fear. India has confronted this challenge since Independence, having a neighbour that is an epicentre of global terrorism for decades now.” This was met with a thunderous applause at the UNGA.

“For decades now, major international terrorist attacks are traced back to that one country,” he said, adding, “UN’s designated lists of terrorists are replete with its nationals. The most recent example of cross-border barbarism was the murder of innocent tourists in Pahalgam in April this year. India exercised its right to defend its people against terrorism and brought its organisers and perpetrators to justice. Because terrorism is a shared threat, it is essential that there is much deeper international cooperation.” “Nations openly declare terrorism a state policy. When terror hubs operate on an industrial scale, when terrorists are publicly glorified, then such actions must be unequivocally condemned. The financing of terrorism must be choked, even as prominent terrorists are sanctioned, relentless pressure must be applied on the entire terrorism ecosystem. Those who condone nations that sponsor terror, will find that it comes back to bite them,” he said.

Jaishankar also questioned the relevance of the UN: “The UN Charter calls on us not just to prevent war but to build peace, not just to defend rights, but to uphold the dignity of every human being. It challenges us to stand as good neighbours, uniting our strength so that generations to come inherit a world of justice, of progress and of lasting freedom…As a result, the UN became a natural platform to debate key global issues… we must ask ourselves today, how has the UN lived up to expectations?”

Saying these are “challenging times” for the international community, he said, “A world order requires common purpose, as it does empathy for others. That is where we look to the United Nations… every member who can make this world a better place must have the opportunity to do their utmost… The ninth decade of the UN must be one of leadership effort.”

Last year, Jaishankar, while targeting Pakistan, had said its GDP could only be measured in terms of “radicalisation” and its exports in the form of “terrorism”, that Pakistan’s cross-border terrorism policy would “never succeed”, and its “actions will certainly have consequences”.