Attacks on seafarers, civilian shipping or infrastructure cannot be countenanced, says External Affairs Minister at East Asia Summit; Ministry hits back at Pakistan Deputy PM’s comments
India rejects Pakistan’s use of multilateral forums on Jammu and Kashmir and the Indus Waters Treaty while reiterating that attacks on seafarers, civilian shipping, or infrastructure cannot be accepted in the Indo-Pacific maritime order.
- Ishaq Dar argued that lasting peace in South Asia depends on resolving the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in line with United Nations Security Council resolutions and described the Indus Waters Treaty as a cornerstone of regional peace and stability.
- Randhir Jaiswal said Pakistan was using a multilateral forum to spread falsehoods, promote state-sponsored misinformation, and divert attention from Pakistan’s record of sponsoring cross-border terrorism.
What happened
India used two regional forums to make a security and diplomacy point. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said attacks on seafarers, civilian shipping, or infrastructure cannot be countenanced. Separately, the Ministry of External Affairs rejected Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar’s remarks at the ASEAN Regional Forum on Jammu and Kashmir and the Indus Waters Treaty.
Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Pakistan was using a multilateral forum to spread falsehoods, promote state-sponsored misinformation, and divert attention from Pakistan’s record of sponsoring cross-border terrorism.
UPSC may frame the issue as a question on India-Pakistan relations, the diplomatic use of multilateral forums, the Indus Waters Treaty, and the security of civilian maritime assets in the Indo-Pacific. A Mains answer can connect strategic autonomy, neighbourhood management, and counter-terrorism diplomacy.
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