India won’t hesitate to strike deep inside Pakistan if provoked by terror attacks: Jaishankar

Belgium: India will not hesitate to strike deep inside Pakistan if provoked by terrorist attacks, warned External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. Speaking to Politico during his Europe tour on Tuesday, he issued a stern message to Pakistan in the wake of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives.

Jaishankar reiterated that India’s response to cross-border terrorism will be firm and direct. “We don't care where they are. If they are deep in Pakistan, we will go deep into Pakistan,” he said, referring to terrorist leaders and infrastructure. India, he added, will retaliate against the perpetrators and their leadership, reported PTI.

He accused Pakistan of openly training thousands of terrorists and unleashing them on India. “We are not going to live with it,” he asserted, referring to Pakistan’s longstanding use of terrorism as a tool of state policy.

Jaishankar also highlighted the damage inflicted by India’s airstrikes, claiming that eight key Pakistani airfields were disabled, forcing Pakistan to sue for peace. “The fighting stopped because we hit those airfields. You can see the images on Google,” he said, crediting Indian fighter jets and missile systems, including Rafale aircraft, for the operation’s success.

Following the Pahalgam attack, India launched Operation Sindoor and conducted precision strikes on terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 7. The conflict, which lasted four days, ended on May 10 after the directors general of military operations from both countries reached an understanding. 

According to PTI, he will also meet leaders in Belgium, France, and the EU to strengthen bilateral ties and reaffirm India’s zero-tolerance approach to terrorism during his European visit.