External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s briefing to the Parliamentary Consultative Committee has provided a comprehensive overview of India's stance during the recent military escalation with Pakistan, revealing both the assertive tone of India’s response and the geopolitical undercurrents that shaped the episode.
Jaishankar emphasized that India’s message to foreign governments, especially amid concerns of war, was deliberately straightforward: “They fire, we fire. They stop, we stop.” This was aimed at clarifying that India would mirror Pakistan’s actions proportionally—neither escalating unprovoked nor backing down under pressure.
Notably, Jaishankar dismissed foreign mediation claims, particularly those by former US President Donald Trump, who had earlier said that Washington played a role in brokering peace. Jaishankar clarified that the May 10 ceasefire agreement was purely a result of military-to-military dialogue between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan, with Pakistan initiating the contact. This marks a deliberate rebuttal of the idea that any third party, including the US, influenced the outcome.
Adding to the backdrop, Jaishankar acknowledged that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had shared intelligence indicating the possibility of a major Pakistani strike in India, which may have heightened diplomatic urgency. Despite this, India stuck to its strategic posture, refusing to de-escalate on external advice alone.
On the global diplomatic landscape, Jaishankar observed that only Turkey and Azerbaijan openly supported Pakistan during the crisis. In contrast, many countries either backed India publicly or lent support regarding cross-border terrorism, suggesting New Delhi’s success in rallying international opinion.
Jaishankar’s remarks on China were particularly telling—he noted that although Beijing has close historical ties with Islamabad, this time China withheld clear support for Pakistan, a subtle yet significant development in the strategic balance of the region.
Another strong statement came from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who reportedly told US Vice President JD Vance: “If they attack, we will attack stronger.” This underscores India’s policy of robust deterrence and refusal to engage in talks unless core issues like PoK, terror infrastructure dismantling, and extradition of wanted terrorists are addressed.
The immediate cause of the tensions was the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, which killed 26, mostly Hindu tourists. India’s retaliatory strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and PoK triggered drone incursions and aerial skirmishes, further escalating the standoff.
While the May 10 ceasefire marks a rare instance of restraint and de-escalation, India remains clear that the initiative came from Pakistan and that any future dialogue will be conditional and focused on terrorism and territorial integrity.
In sum, Jaishankar's briefing outlines a confident and uncompromising diplomatic posture by New Delhi, emphasizing sovereignty, deterrence, and direct military engagement over third-party mediation.
