Jaishankar: 'India has the right to defend itself against hostile neighbors', Jaishankar warns Pakistan on terrorism.

Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar said in a statement on Friday that India will use its right to self-defense against terrorism, and no other country can dictate what India will or will not do in its own defense. Minister Jaishankar made these remarks during the inaugural event of 'Shaastra 2026 - IIT Madras Techno-Entertainment Fest' at IIT Madras. He stated that everything necessary would be done for India's security.

External Affairs Minister targets Pakistan without naming it

When asked about India's foreign policy during the event, Dr. Jaishankar said, "Your neighbors can be bad. If we look to the west, unfortunately, that's the case with us. If a country deliberately and consistently promotes terrorism, then we also have the right to self-defense against terrorism, and we will use it. But it's up to us how we use it. Nobody can tell us what to do or what not to do. For our security, we will do everything we need to do."

The External Affairs Minister said, "Many years ago, we agreed on a water-sharing agreement, but if you promote terrorism for decades, that's not being a good neighbor, and if you're not a good neighbor, you won't get the benefits. You can't say, 'Please share water with us, but we will continue with terrorism.' That's not possible."

Remarks on Bangladesh

The Indian External Affairs Minister said, "When we look at our neighboring countries, whichever are our good neighbors, we invest there, we help those countries. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, we were the first to provide vaccine assistance to our neighbors. When Sri Lanka was facing an economic crisis, India helped it and provided $4 billion in financial assistance. Most of our neighboring countries believe that India's development is good for them. If India develops, all our neighbors will also progress with us. That's what I want to say about Bangladesh."