External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar launched a blistering attack on Pakistan during his address to the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Friday, accusing the neighbouring country of treating terrorism as an official state policy.
“India has confronted this challenge since its independence, having a neighbour that is an epicentre of global terrorism. For decades now, major international terrorist attacks are traced back to that one country. UN-designated lists of terrorists are replete with its nationals,” Jaishankar said in his hard-hitting speech.
The minister also invoked the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack, which left 26 people dead. He emphasised that India had exercised its right to defend its citizens and successfully brought the organisers and perpetrators to justice.
Call for Global Action Against Terrorism
Jaishankar underscored that terrorism is a shared threat requiring collective global action. “When nations openly declare terrorism a state policy, when terror hubs operate on an industrial scale, when terrorists are publicly glorified, then such actions must be unequivocally condemned,” he said.
He further stressed that choking terror financing, sanctioning prominent extremists, and applying relentless pressure on the broader ecosystem of terrorism are crucial steps for the international community. Warning against double standards, he added, “Those who condone nations that sponsor terror will find that it comes back to bite them.”
Terrorism as a Global Challenge
Highlighting the multi-dimensional nature of terrorism, Jaishankar described it as a force that “synthesises bigotry, violence, intolerance, and fear.” He urged member states to act decisively, pointing out that countering terrorism must remain a global priority.
 "Dr S. Jaishankar addresses 80th UNGA session, calls for building peace and upholding human dignity")
