Latest news with #Pak-occupied
The Print
11 hours ago
- Politics
- The Print
India wanted a stable, prosperous Pakistan but our peace efforts were mistaken for weakness: Rajnath
'After reaching Lahore, Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji had written at Minar-e-Pakistan that India aspires for lasting peace and friendship with Pakistan. He had said that a stable and prosperous Pakistan is in India's best interest. The Defence Minister, who opened the debate on Operation Sindoor in the Lok Sabha, recalled that former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had even undertaken a bus journey to Lahore with the message of peace. New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that India knows the language of both peace and force and underlined that the country wanted a stable and prosperous Pakistan, an effort which Islamabad saw as weakness. 'This was our thought. This reflected our thinking and India's civilisational values, which view peace as a strength. However, it was misunderstood, our efforts for peace were mistaken for weakness,' Singh said Monday. The Modi government, he said, had also made numerous efforts to establish peace with Pakistan. But later, through the 2016 surgical strike, the 2019 Balakot air strike, and the 2025 Operation Sindoor, 'we have adopted a different path to establish peace,' he said, adding that 'the stand of the Narendra Modi government is clear—talks and terror cannot go together'. 'If we know how to make efforts for peace, we also know how to speak and explain in the language that the vicious understand. In an hour-long speech to open the debate on Pahalgam and Operation Sindoor in the Lok Sabha, Singh pulled up the Opposition saying the questions that should have been asked were 'how many enemy aircraft were shot down' and 'did India destroy terrorist bases'. Singh also praised the Indian military and underlined precision strikes that destroyed nine terror camps in Pak and Pak-occupied Kashmir and killed over 100 terrorists. He said that India's air defence systems including counter drone and electronic warfare had together 'foiled Pakistan's attacks'. 'Pakistan could not hit our targets… there was no damage to any of our important assets,' he said, regarding the multiple waves of drones and missiles that Pakistan launched. (Edited by Tony Rai) Also Read: During Operation Sindoor, Pakistan likely used NATO-style aerial tactics taught by China
NDTV
18-06-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
"India Has And Will Never Accept Mediation": PM Modi On Phone To Trump
New Delhi: India has never asked for, and will never accept, third-party mediation to resolve the issue of Pakistan's illegal occupation of parts of Jammu and Kashmir - this was Prime Minister Narendra Modi's unequivocal message to US President Donald Trump in a phone call late Tuesday. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, briefing the press Wednesday morning about that phone call, said the topic came up after Mr Trump asked the Prime Minister for details about Operation Sindoor, India's successful military response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. The PM told Mr Trump India's response had been "measured" and targeted only terrorist camps in Pak and Pak-occupied Kashmir. The PM also underlined India's position on third-party mediation - that it is neither wanted nor needed - and that this has always been the case. The strong statement follows Mr Trump having repeatedly claimed credit for negotiating the Operation Sindoor ceasefire between India and Pakistan - something the Indian government has firmly denied - and offering his 'services' to negotiate a settlement for the J&K border issue too. It also echoes Mr Modi's statement from May 12; the Prime Minister, in his first address to the nation after the Op Sindoor ceasefire, told Pakistan that there could be no talks over Jammu and Kashmir, except to dismantle terrorist infrastructure in the region and return India's territory.
NDTV
03-06-2025
- General
- NDTV
"People Understand We Can't Negotiate With Terror-Sponsor Pak": Kanimozhi
New Delhi: Pakistan sponsors terrorism and India cannot negotiate with such a country, DMK MP Kanimozhi told NDTV Tuesday evening, after she returned from leading a cross-party delegation to Russia, Spain, Slovenia, Greece, and Latvia as part of the federal government's global outreach initiative to brief friendly nations on Operation Sindoor and the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. Asked about the message her delegation took to Moscow, Madrid, Ljubljana, Athens, and Riga, the Tamil Nadu leader said the biggest message was that the Indian government had sent opposition leaders to speak on its behalf to some of the most powerful nations in the world. She also said political leaders and think tanks across Russia, Slovenia, Spain, Greece, and Latvia were briefed about Pakistan's continuing support of cross-border terrorist activities, something Islamabad denies despite a growing mountain of evidence to the contrary. "I think the most important message we took was that it was an all-party delegation... led by opposition MPs. In fact, except for one person all of us were from opposition parties." "I think that in itself was a message... that India stands together when it comes to dealing with terrorism and with what happened in Pahalgam," she said, referring to the horrific attack on April 22 by The Resistance Front, a proxy of banned Pak-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba. Four terrorists shot dead 26 people, mostly civilians, at a picturesque tourist hotspot in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam Valley, triggering widespread condemnation in India and abroad. India responded first with diplomatic measures, including suspending key Indus Waters Treaty that provides irrigation for nearly 80 per cent of all of Pak's farms, and then launched Operation Sindoor - precision military strikes against terror camps in Pak and Pak-occupied Kashmir. Pak, which had scoffed at India pointing out, again, that the terrorists had been supported by the deep state in that country, responded with strikes of its own - which were mostly neutralised by India - triggering a 100-hour military conflict that ended with a ceasefire on May 12. Kanimozhi told NDTV the nations her delegation had visited had said they stood with India over the Pahalgam attack, particularly after it was explained that India has tried to reason with Pakistan and attempted to find a peaceful solution to this long-standing problem. "Everybody condemned what happened in Pahalgam... we explained that this is not the first time and that time and again it (Pak-sponsored terror attacks) have been happening..." "We explained that we have been able to trace these attacks back to Pakistan and that these terrorists continue to be sponsored and protected in that country," Kanimozhi said. In each nation and meeting the delegation stressed, the DMK leader said, that "we have tried, many times, to reach out to Pakistan to resolve conflicts we have with them but they have never stopped sponsoring terrorist attacks against us, which has cost us many lives," "People understand that we can't negotiate with a state sponsoring terrorism." But now, back in India, Kanimozhi returns to the traditional business of holding the government to account. On the matter of the opposition's demand for a special session of Parliament - to discuss the Pahalgam attack, Operation Sindoor, and associated national security concerns, she told NDTV there are "clarifications" and "explanations" that will be sought of the ruling party. Her comments on this come after eyebrow-raising comments by Chief Of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan last week and this over losses suffered by the Indian military during Op Sindoor. At an event in Singapore last week General Chauhan confirmed, for the first time, that India had suffered losses, specifically fighter jets. This was after weeks of speculation that Pak air defences had shot down at least six Indian military aircraft, including at least one Rafale. India had first firmly denied any such claim. However, last week the General indicated otherwise, saying the focus should be on India hitting its targets rather than losses suffered. He made similar comments today, telling a Pune university that "professional militaries are not affected by temporary losses as overall outcomes are more important than such setback". Kanimozhi told NDTV none of the nations she visited had actually asked about this particular issue, but indicated a responsible opposition would ask these questions of the government.
NDTV
23-05-2025
- Business
- NDTV
India To Talk To World Bank, Global Watchdog Over Pak's 'Terror Funds' Supply: Sources
Quick Read Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed. India plans to intensify efforts to spotlight Pakistan's funding of cross-border terrorism, focusing on discussions with the World Bank and the Financial Action Task Force, following Pak's push for $20 billion aid amid ongoing military tensions. New Delhi: India, fresh from the military success of Operation Sindoor, is set to raise the pitch of efforts to highlight globally Pakistan's continued funding of cross-border terror activities, government sources told NDTV Profit Friday afternoon. Sources said a two-pronged approach will involve a June meeting with the World Bank about aid money and a discussion to put Pak back on the 'grey list' of the Financial Action Task Force, a global agency monitoring terror funding activities. This comes amid media reports in Pak that Islamabad wants the World Bank to fast-track a 10-year, $20 billion loan deal - for private sector growth and climate resilience - agreed in January. Days earlier the International Monetary Fund cleared a billion-dollar bailout. The IMF said Pakistan had "met all required targets" to receive a fresh instalment of the $2.3 billion package. The Indian government had earlier expressed its disappointment that international agencies have chosen to transfer billions in 'aid' to Islamabad at this time, i.e., in the aftermath of the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, and military escalation by the Pakistan Army. Delhi was particularly irked that the IMF chose to release the funds while Pakistan was in the middle of firing a barrage of drones and missiles at military and civilian centres in western India. The IMF, sources said, had been presented with data showing misuse of its funds by Pak. India abstained from voting on the aid proposal last month but it passed anyway, despite many of the other member countries having condemned Pak for the Pahalgam terror attack. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh warned the IMF, and other international funding bodies, Pak had already announced plans to spend government money - including that received as aid - in rebuilding locations the Indian military had identified as terror outfit HQs and training camps. READ | '14 Crore To Masood Azhar...': Rajnath Singh's Warning On Pak Terror Plans Op Sindoor targeted nine such locations - four in Pak and five in Pak-occupied Kashmir. Mr Singh also warned that Pak plans to give tax revenue - as much as Rs 14 crore, money the cash-strapped country could put towards education or healthcare - to Masood Azhar. Azhar is recognised by the United Nations as an 'international terrorist', and is the leader of the banned Jaish-e-Mohammed that was behind the 2019 Pulwama and 2016 Uri terror attacks. READ | "Indirect Terror Funding": Rajnath Singh Cautions IMF Over Pak Aid "The IMF's aid to Pak is form of indirect funding to terror," Mr Singh said, "Any financial assistance to Pak is funding terror activities. The IMF should reconsider its decision." Pak's 'Terror Funder' Status In 2018 Pak was put on a 'grey list' of the Financial Action Task Force, or FATF, a global watchdog for financing terrorism and money laundering. In 2022 it was removed from that list. FATF said the Pak government had reasonably strengthened its anti-money laundering setup and worked on combating terror financing, besides addressing technical deficiencies. Being on the 'grey list' meant Pak struggled to get aid from financial institutions like the IMF. ARCHIVES | Pak Taken Off Global Watchdog's 'Grey' List For Terror Financing India, one of the 40 FATF members, had strenuously objected to Pak's removal from the 'grey list', saying Islamabad continues to harbour terrorists and funds their organisations. This issue has also been flagged in other international forums, like the United Nations and the UN Security Council. The latter had tough questions for Pak after the Pahalgam attack. Meanwhile, the Pak government has also sought an additional $4.9 billion from international banks to meet its external financing needs and strengthen its foreign exchange reserves.
Mint
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Mint
‘Politics within the country is our right' Here's what multi- party delgation from India will tell the world
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Tuesday briefed three of the seven multi-party delegations ahead of their visits to different countries to put across India's stand following the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. After the briefing by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Congress leader Salman Khurshid said that there was no interference by anyone in understanding between India and Pakistan. "There was no mediation. But when such things happen in the worlds different people try to send a message. But whatever has happened, has happened only between the two nations. When the matter escalated, it was between our two nations. When it ended, it ended between the two nations. It was initiated by the Pakistan DGMO, they said that we should end this. We said that it should be done if they are ready," Khurshid, the former Minister of External Affairs said. "Politics within the country is our right, our duty; it is different. But outside the country, what we have to say, is different," he said. Members of the delegations headed by JD(U)'s Sanjay Jha and Shiv Sena's Shrikant Shinde attended the briefing in which they are expected to be told about their agenda and its finer details. "Our message to world leaders will be that enough is enough and that Pakistan has acted like a thief asked to probe his own crime whenever India has in the past trusted its words on acting against terrorism," JD(U) leader Sanjay Jha said. Jha is leading a delegation to Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia and Indonesia. Shiv Sena leader Shrikant Shinde, who is leading a delegation to the UAE and some African countries, said they will highlight Pakistan's links to terror incidents in India. Misri, sources said, briefed MPs and other members of the delegations that Indian action was targeted against terror sites in Pakistan and Pak-occupied Kashmir, and not against military installations and civilians. It was only after Pakistan's attempts to attack Indian military installations and the civilian population that India hit back, he said. TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee, who was included at the last minute after his party protested the government's "unilateral" decision to pick its MP Yusuf Pathan, also joined the meeting. Banerjee is part of the delegation led by Jha which will be travelling to Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. 'Different things are being spread, especially by the media in Pakistan - what happened on 7th May, what happened on 22nd April, what happened between 7th to 11th May. They are spreading lies across the world,' said BJP leader SS Ahluwalia Sources said the major talking points of the meeting way that India has suffered from terror for such a long time and that Pakistan has tried to spread terror everywhere. 'While India focused on economic development Pakistan's focus was on terror,' the meeting discussed. That Pakistan was the first to defy ceasefire on several occasions and that Pakistan attacked many cities was also discussed. The leaders discussed that it was important for countries to realise the design of Pakistan. India decided to send seven all-party delegations, each led by a prominent leader from various political parties, to different countries to highlight India's zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju had earlier released the list of memberswho will be part of each of these delegations. The list includes Members of Parliament from multi-parties which have been divided into seven groups consisting of 8-9 members. A leader has been assigned for each group who will lead the delegation on a global level. The delegation will meet Parliamentians, think tanks and Indian community. The briefing will mainly be about Pahalgam and the earlier attacks. Our message to world leaders will be that enough is enough and that Pakistan has acted like a thief asked to probe his own crime. The tour is expected to last 10 days, commencing on May 23. The parliamentarians' groups are likely to visit several key world capitals, including the United States, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, South Africa, and Japan, ANI reported.
