“India Stands Firm on No Talks with Pakistan Until It Halts Cross-Border Terrorism”

On Friday, India reiterated its stance that for bilateral ties between India and Pakistan to progress, Pakistan must take effective and concrete action against terrorism. India emphasized that Pakistan’s ongoing use of terrorism as an instrument of state policy continues to be a significant hurdle in improving relations between the two nations.

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) highlighted that Pakistan has consistently failed to take strong and sustained measures to dismantle terror infrastructure and put an end to cross-border terrorism. India pointed out that despite international pressure, Pakistan has allowed terrorist organizations to operate within its territory, posing a direct threat to India’s security.

India’s firm position reflects its broader concerns about Pakistan’s support for terror groups that target Indian civilians and security forces. The MEA stressed that India remains committed to regional peace and stability, but any meaningful dialogue with Pakistan can only take place once Islamabad demonstrates tangible progress in combating terrorism and fulfilling its international obligations.

India has been vocal on the global stage, calling for greater international cooperation to combat terrorism, and insists that the fight against terrorism should be central to any discussions with Pakistan. Without substantial change in Pakistan’s policies on terrorism, India made it clear that there will be no room for constructive dialogue or peace-building measures between the two countries.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal responded to questions regarding Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar’s comments on Thursday, which called for joint efforts to resume bilateral trade between India and Pakistan. Jaiswal firmly stated that any progress in bilateral ties, including trade, can only happen if Pakistan takes concrete and effective actions to address terrorism, which remains a significant issue in the relationship between the two nations.

Jaiswal emphasized that Pakistan’s policy of using terrorism as an instrument of statecraft has been a major barrier to improving ties, and reiterated India’s position that there cannot be any meaningful engagement until Pakistan acts decisively against terrorism and dismantles terror infrastructure on its soil. He made it clear that India remains committed to regional peace but will not engage in talks with Pakistan while the threat of cross-border terrorism persists.

At a media briefing, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal responded to Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar’s remarks about the need for joint efforts to resume bilateral trade, saying, “The relevant T-word is terrorism, not tango.” Jaiswal’s comment highlighted India’s firm stance on the issue of terrorism, emphasizing that the primary obstacle in improving relations with Pakistan is its continued use of terrorism as a state policy. He stressed that any meaningful progress in ties can only be achieved if Pakistan addresses cross-border terrorism and dismantles terror infrastructure.

When asked at a press conference on Thursday about the potential resumption of trade between India and Pakistan, Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar remarked, “As far as India is concerned, it takes two to tango.” Dar suggested that any effort to revive bilateral trade should be a mutual one, indicating that both countries must demonstrate goodwill for progress to occur.

He further added, “I think it cannot be one-way, that we will do everything. If there is goodwill from India, then we are ready. But it has to be both sides.” His statement underlined Pakistan’s position that for any meaningful dialogue or trade to resume, both nations need to engage in reciprocal efforts.

The ties between India and Pakistan were severely strained following India’s airstrike in February 2019 on a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist training camp in Balakot, Pakistan. This strike was a direct response to the Pulwama terror attack, in which 40 Indian paramilitary soldiers were killed in an attack claimed by JeM, a Pakistan-based terrorist organization. The airstrike and subsequent tensions marked a significant escalation in the relationship between the two countries.

After the Pulwama attack, India took decisive steps by withdrawing Pakistan’s Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status and imposing 200% duties on imports from Pakistan. In retaliation, Pakistan suspended trade with India and downgraded diplomatic ties after New Delhi’s move to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019.

Despite these heightened tensions, India has maintained a strong diplomatic stance, emphasizing that it will not engage in talks with Pakistan until Islamabad ceases its support for cross-border terrorism. India’s position remains firm on addressing terrorism as a core issue in bilateral relations.

However, there were signs of a potential shift in the relationship, with some positive gestures. Notably, India’s External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, visited Islamabad in October 2020 to attend a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), which sparked hopes of dialogue and engagement between the two nations.

The visit by India’s External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, to Islamabad in October 2020 marked the first official visit from India to Pakistan in nearly a decade. This visit came at a time when bilateral relations between the two neighboring countries were particularly strained. Despite the frosty ties, Jaishankar’s participation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Pakistan was seen as a potential opening for dialogue, although significant differences, particularly on issues of terrorism and Jammu and Kashmir, continued to dominate the relationship.

Courtesy: ANI News

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