Jaishankar Highlights 'Inconsistent' Global Response to Terrorism in India

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar recently criticized Western nations for their perceived double standards in addressing terrorism when it impacts India. Speaking from Washington D.C. during the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting and engagements related to UN Counter-Terror Week, Jaishankar emphasized India's consistent approach to combating terrorism, contrasting it with the selective concern shown by some international partners.

The minister directly addressed the issue, stating: > "When attacks happen outside India, we take the same position as when it happens in India. Other countries are not doing the same." This assertion underscores India's long-held view that global counter-terrorism efforts often lack uniformity, with responses varying based on geographical location or political expediency.

His remarks come in the wake of recent terror incidents, including the Pahalgam attack, which prompted India's decisive "Operation Sindoor" targeting terror infrastructure. Jaishankar reiterated India's firm "zero tolerance" policy towards terrorism, stressing that perpetrators and their sponsors must be held accountable regardless of their location. He previously stated that India would "hunt them down wherever they are, including in Pakistan," underscoring a proactive stance against cross-border terrorism.

During his engagements, including the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting and discussions with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Jaishankar consistently advocated for a stronger international consensus to combat all forms of terror uniformly. He noted the difficulty in achieving this, stating that "countries are not supporting each other sufficiently enough" when countering terrorism is at stake. He urged diplomatic efforts to "exhort, encourage, persuade, and motivate" nations towards a more unified global response, asserting that India's independent and confident diplomacy aims to foster such consistency.

India has long maintained a principled position on terrorism, applying the same rigorous response to attacks on its own soil as it does to incidents occurring elsewhere. This consistent stance, as articulated by Jaishankar, aims to counter the geopolitical considerations that sometimes lead to a diluted or inconsistent international condemnation of terror acts, particularly when the perpetrators are linked to certain strategic allies.