‘Not India-Pakistan, It’s About Terrorism’: Jaishankar Gives Strong Message To The World On Pahalgam

Last Updated:June 11, 2025, 13:53 IST

S Jaishankar: “Let me remind you of something – there was a man named Osama bin Laden. Why did he, of all people, feel safe living for years in a Pakistani military town?”

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said India is a more trustworthy partner than China. (PTI File)

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, in Brussels, made a strong case against terrorism in the wake of the April 22 Pahalgam attack and the subsequent Operation Sindoor.

Speaking to Euractiv, he said terrorism wasn’t merely an India-Pakistan issue and the world needs to understand that.

“Let me remind you of something – there was a man named Osama bin Laden. Why did he, of all people, feel safe living for years in a Pakistani military town, right next to their equivalent of West Point?" he said.

“I want the world to understand – this isn’t merely an India-Pakistan issue. It’s about terrorism. And that very same terrorism will eventually come back to haunt you."

“India has the longest-standing grievance – our borders were violated just months after independence, when Pakistan sent in invaders to Kashmir. And the countries that were most supportive of that? Western countries."

“If those same countries – who were evasive or reticent then – now say ‘let’s have a great conversation about international principles’, I think I’m justified in asking them to reflect on their own past."

‘INDIA MORE TRUSTWORTHY THAN CHINA’

During his visit, Jaishankar met European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the EU’s foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas.

“India – a nation of 1.4 billion – offers skilled labour and a more trustworthy economic partnership than China…I just met with several European companies in India that have chosen to set up there specifically to de-risk their supply chains. Many companies are becoming increasingly careful about where they locate their data – they’d rather place it somewhere secure and trustworthy than simply go for efficiency. Would you really want that in the hands of actors you don’t feel comfortable with?"

‘NOT UNINVOLVED IN UKRAINE-RUSSIA CONFLICT’

“We don’t believe that differences can be resolved through war – we don’t believe a solution will come from the battlefield. It’s not for us to prescribe what that solution should be. My point is, we’re not being prescriptive or judgemental – but we are also not uninvolved."

Responding to criticism over India’s refusal to join sanctions against Russia, he said, “We have a strong relationship with Ukraine as well – it’s not only about Russia. But every country, naturally, considers its own experience, history and interests."

‘DEEPENING INDIA’S RELATIONSHIP IN MULTIPOLAR WORLD’

“Multipolarity is already here. Europe now faces the need to make more decisions in its own interest – using its own capabilities, and based on the relationships it fosters globally."

“I hear terms like ‘strategic autonomy’ being used in Europe – these were once part of our vocabulary."

“The EU is clearly a major pole in the global order – and increasingly an autonomous one. That is precisely why I’m here: to deepen our relationship in this multipolar world."

Reacting to the EU’s climate policies, particularly the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), Jaishankar expressed clear opposition. “Let’s not pretend – we’re opposed to parts of it. We have very deep reservations about CBAM and we’ve been quite open about it. The idea that one part of the world will set standards for everybody else is something which we are against."

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