Jaishankar Slams Pakistan's Terror Support, Links Water Sharing to Good Neighbourliness Amid Border Threats & Ops Like Sindoor
S Jaishankar in his statement Friday took the hammer to Pakistan, noting India has a “bad neighbour” who continually supports terrorism and that New Delhi has every right to defend itself against such threats.
Aadrika Tayal 
New Delhi (India) January 2: The Minister for External Affairs, S Jaishankar, spoke against Pakistan’s involvement in cross-border terrorism, and pointed out that Pakistan's support for terrorism means there is a problem for India. He made reference and stressed the importance of watching out and protecting national security, which concerns must be addressed given the continued risk at the border as well.
Jaishankar's Firm Stance on Cross-Border Terrorism
Speaking at an IIT Madras, Jaishankar asserted, India would exercise its right to protect its security and interests, and would not accept external prescriptions on how it should respond to terrorism.
“But when it comes to bad neighbours who persist with terrorism, India has every right to defend its people and will do whatever is necessary. You cannot request us to share our water with you and also spread terrorism in our country,” he said.
Citing India’s western neighbour, Jaishankar said that countries can have difficult neighbours, but India’s was aggravated when terrorism was used deliberately and over a sustained period as part of a state policy.
No Water Sharing with Terror-Sponsoring Neighbors
He also connected the question of cross-border terrorism to broader bilateral obligations — water-sharing arrangements, among those. Reflecting on water-sharing agreements India entered into decades earlier, Jaishankar said this cooperation assumes good neighbourly relations.
Many years ago, we agreed to a water-sharing arrangement, but if you have decades of terrorism, there is no good neighbourliness. If there is no good neighbourliness, you don’t get the benefits of that good neighbourliness,” he said. “You can’t say, ‘Please share water with me, but I will continue terrorism with you.’ That’s not reconcilable,” Jaishankar added.
India's Neighborhood First: Aid Despite Challenges
By positioning it alongside the positive-neighbour policy in India, Jaishankar pointed to New Delhi’s continual assistance during times of crisis, including the vaccine donation during COVID-19 pandemic, fuel and food supply support during the Ukraine war and $4 billion assistance to Sri Lanka in the financial crisis. India’s growth benefits the whole region, he said, something most neighbouring countries agreed on.
Jaishankar also mentioned India’s wider vision or Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. He added that India has never seen the world as a hostile environment but rather has focused on solving problems, leaning into its strengths, competitiveness and partnerships.
Operation Sindoor and India's Security Resolve
Last year, India invoked its right to protect its people from terrorism with Operation Sindoor and launched counterterrorism operations against terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir following the terror attack taken place in April in Kashmir’s Pahalgam region by The Resistance Front, a faction of Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
