NEW DELHI, May 22: The India-Pakistan understanding on cessation of hostilities was arrived at following direct negotiations between the two sides, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said against the backdrop of US President Donald Trump’s claim that Washington played a role in brokering the truce.
Jaishankar also said that India will again hit terrorists in Pakistan in response to any future terror strikes like the one in Pahalgam, suggesting that it was the reason why Operation Sindoor has not been concluded.
In an interview to Dutch broadcaster NOS, he said that the government was very clear that “if there is such an attack, there will be a response”.
Jaishankar was in The Hague as part of his three-nation tour of the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany.
“The operation continues because there is a clear message in that operation -? that if there are acts of the kind we saw on April 22, there will be a response, that we will hit the terrorists,” he said.
“If the terrorists are in Pakistan, we will hit them where they are. So, there is a message in continuing the operation but continuing the operation is not the same as firing on each other,” he said.
Under Operation Sindoor, India carried out precision strikes on nine terror infrastructures early on May 7 in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.
Following the Indian action, Pakistan attempted to attack Indian military bases on May 8, 9 and 10. The Pakistani attempts were strongly responded to by the Indian side.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on May 10 announced that India and Pakistan reached an understanding to stop all firings and military actions on land, air and sea, with immediate effect.
In his remarks, Jaishankar said the arrangement on cessation of hostilities was firmed up by the Indian and the Pakistani sides.
“When two countries are engaged in a conflict, it is natural that countries in the world call up and try to sort of indicate their concern,” he said.
