27 May,2026 09:53 AM IST | United Nations | mid-day online correspondent
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India on Tuesday strongly criticised Pakistan at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), asserting that New Delhi has "every right" to defend itself against cross-border terrorism and warning Islamabad that there would be "consequences" for supporting terror activities directed at India.
India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Harish Parvathaneni, delivered the sharp response during a UNSC debate on "Upholding the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and strengthening the UN-centred international system." The meeting was chaired by Wang Yi under China's presidency of the 15-member Security Council for May.
Parvathaneni said he was compelled to respond to what he described as "baseless and unwarranted remarks" made by Pakistan during the debate. He stated that India's history since Independence has included repeated instances of cross-border aggression from Pakistan.
"Independent India began its life battling with cross-border aggression by Pakistan, which coveted Indian territories that had become a part of India as a result of their complete, legal and irrevocable accession," Parvathaneni said during the session.
His remarks came after Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar raised the issue of Jammu and Kashmir and referred to the Indus Waters Treaty during the debate.
India's response also referred to the April 2025 terror attack in Pahalgam, in which 26 civilians were killed. Following the attack, India had put the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance.
The Resistance Front (TRF), believed to be linked to the Pakistan-based terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba, had claimed responsibility for the attack.
Parvathaneni accused Pakistan of continuing to use terrorism as a state policy against India. He said Pakistan's long-standing doctrine of "bleeding India by a thousand cuts" exposed what he called the gap between Islamabad's rhetoric and its actions regarding international peace and the UN Charter.
Reiterating India's position on national security, Parvathaneni said the country reserves the right to protect its citizens from terror attacks originating across the border.
"India has every right to defend itself from such cross-border terrorism. Pakistan will have to accept that there are consequences to its sponsorship of cross-border terrorism," he said.
The Indian envoy further stated that Pakistan had violated the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and peaceful coexistence through wars, unprovoked aggression and continued support for cross-border terror groups.
In his address, Parvathaneni also accused Pakistan of promoting terrorism, religious extremism and violent radicalism since its creation.
"Pakistan's harnessing of terrorism, religious extremism, violent radicalism and anti-India rhetoric has continued unabated," he said, adding that the evidence of such activities was already on public record.
India urged Pakistan to take credible and irreversible steps to end support for all forms of terrorism.
The UNSC debate was organised as part of China's presidency of the Security Council for the month of May. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi presided over the opening session attended by representatives from member states.
The exchange between India and Pakistan once again brought bilateral tensions to the forefront at the United Nations, particularly over issues related to terrorism and regional security.
(With inputs from PTI)
