Brussels: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has issued a strong warning to Pakistan, asserting that India will strike back against terrorism no matter how deep inside Pakistani territory the threat lies. His remarks come weeks after hostilities between the two countries ceased under a mutual ceasefire understanding.
In an interview with POLITICO during his official visit to Brussels for trade talks with the European Union, Jaishankar stated that Pakistan remains deeply entrenched in using terrorism as state policy.
“If they are deep in Pakistan, we will go deep into Pakistan,”
— S. Jaishankar to POLITICO
The warning comes in the wake of Operation Sindoor, a retaliatory Indian military offensive launched after the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, where 26 civilians were killed. Indian intelligence linked the attackers to Pakistan-based terror outfits, prompting the massive cross-border operation targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Jaishankar: Terrorism Remains the Core Issue
Asked whether tensions that triggered the recent conflict still persist, Jaishankar affirmed:
“If you call the commitment to terrorism a source of tension, absolutely, it is.”
He further noted that India’s airstrikes inflicted severe damage on Pakistan’s military capabilities, particularly its air force. According to him, eight major airfields were targeted and disabled on the morning of May 10, which he claims ultimately led to Pakistan seeking an end to hostilities.
“The proof of the pudding are the destroyed and disabled airfields on the Pakistani side,”
— Jaishankar
He pointed out that open-source satellite images show the damaged runways and hangars, inviting observers to verify the extent of the destruction themselves via Google imagery.
Ceasefire Came After Pakistani Appeal
Jaishankar revealed that the ceasefire was only initiated after Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) reached out on May 10, following India’s targeted strikes.
“The fighting stopped on May 10 for one reason and one reason only,” he said.
Background: Operation Sindoor
Operation Sindoor was India’s direct response to escalating cross-border terrorism, launched after the Pahalgam attack. It marked a major military escalation involving air and missile strikes on terror camps and military infrastructure across the LoC and within Pakistan.