External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, speaking in the Lok Sabha, hit out at the Opposition for questioning the Centre’s decisions on Operation Sindoor and India’s approach to terrorism. Drawing a sharp contrast with the previous government’s response after the 2008 Mumbai attacks, Jaishankar accused critics of exhibiting “temerity” despite remaining inactive in times of national crisis.
“We were asked, Why did you stop at this time? Why did you not go further? This question is being asked by people who, after 26/11, felt that the best action was inaction,” he remarked.
“…26/11 happened in November 2008. What was the reaction? The reaction was Sharm-el-Sheikh. In Sharm-el-Sheikh, the then government and the Pakistani Prime Minister agreed that terrorism is a main threat to both countries. Now, today, people are saying America is hyphenating you, Russia is hyphenating you, that is what I heard Deepender Hooda ji say. You are hyphenating yourself. You did not need a foreign country to say please link India to Pakistan…And worst of all, they accepted a reference to Balochistan in that. Those who did nothing are now asking us, ‘Why didn’t you do more?’,” he added.
#WATCH | During the discussion on Operation Sindoor in the House, EAM Dr S Jaishankar says, “We were asked, why did you stop at this time? Why did you not go further? This question is being asked by people who, after 26/11, felt that the best action was inaction.”
“…26/11… pic.twitter.com/r80uus7djo
— ANI (@ANI) July 28, 2025
In a fierce rebuttal, Jaishankar said, “People who did nothing have the temerity to question the government which brought down Bahawalpur and Muridke terror sites.” He added that few could have imagined these sites would ever be dismantled the way they were, asserting, “Who thought that terror sites in Bahawalpur and Muridke would be brought down the way they were?”
Highlighting India’s diplomatic achievements, Jaishankar noted that the Resistance Front (TRF), which claimed responsibility for the recent attack in Pahalgam, was designated a global terrorist organisation. He credited India’s global efforts, stating, “Thanks to India’s diplomacy, TRF, which owned up Pahalgam attack – [was] designated as global terrorist organisation.”
Addressing criticism over the conduct of parliamentary delegations post-Operation Sindoor, Jaishankar clarified that seven delegations visited 33 countries and were welcomed with respect. Taking a swipe at Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant, he remarked, “Some comments were made about those delegations. I have to tell Arvind Sawant ji that you are completely misinformed. Those delegations were received with great honour. Please look at the tweets of people sitting next to you.”
He asserted that the delegations comprised government and opposition MPs, retired diplomats, and public-spirited citizens, who succeeded in presenting India’s stance on terrorism to the world. “These seven delegations did the nation proud,” he declared.
‘Not Olympics, not secret deals—my China visit was about terror’: Jaishankar
Clarifying his visit to Beijing for the SCO Foreign Ministers’ meeting, Jaishankar said, “Yes, I went to China to make our position very clear about de-escalation, trade restriction and terrorism. I did not go to China for the Olympics or secret deals.”
He further stated, “The House should know people were watching Olympics when China was issuing staple visas for people from Arunachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir”.
Jaishankar also criticised the previous governments’ handling of Chinese influence. “Opposition lectures us on dealing with China but they allowed 2G and 3G from China; our government made indigenous 5G,” he said.
He dismissed Congress’s warnings about Pakistan-China collaboration, saying such a nexus has existed for decades. “We are getting warnings about Pak-China collaboration, when this has been going on for 60 years,” he said, accusing the Opposition of feigned alarm.
Directly attacking Rahul Gandhi, he said, “I want to remind this House that the Doklam crisis was on. The Leader of Opposition decided to get a briefing not from the government, not from the MEA, but from the Chinese ambassador. He took his briefing from the Chinese ambassador when our military was confronting the Chinese military in Doklam.”
VIDEO | “…When Doklam crisis was on, the Leader of Opposition (Rahul Gandhi) decided to be briefed not from the government of India, not from the MEA, but from the Chinese ambassador, ” says EAM S Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) in Lok Sabha.
(Source – Third party) pic.twitter.com/5lzjgVVhy5
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 28, 2025
Congress questions ceasefire, demands answers from Modi, Rajnath Singh
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, during the discussion, raised questions over the sudden cessation of Operation Sindoor. He said, “The entire country, and the Opposition, were supporting PM Modi. Suddenly, on 10th May, we got to know that there had been a ceasefire. Why? We wanted to know from PM Modi that if Pakistan was ready to kneel down, then why did you stop, and to whom did you surrender?”
Referring to US President Donald Trump’s repeated assertions, Gogoi added, “The US President has said this 26 times that he forced India and Pakistan to announce a ceasefire,” alleging that India had succumbed to international pressure.
He also sought transparency regarding Indian Air Force losses, saying, “We want to know from Rajnath Singh ji today how many of our fighter jets were downed. We have to tell this not just to the public but also to our jawans, as they are being lied [to].”
‘India succeeded at UNSC despite not being a member’: Jaishankar
Highlighting India’s diplomatic push at the United Nations, Jaishankar said, “Pakistan is a member of the UN Security Council and we are not. We had to achieve our aim there.” He pointed to the UNSC statement dated April 25, which condemned terrorism “in all its forms and manifestations” and stressed accountability for perpetrators and sponsors.
‘Blood and water cannot flow together’: Jaishankar outlines ‘new normal’
Defining the strategic philosophy underpinning Operation Sindoor, Jaishankar said the mission signals a “new normal” in India’s anti-terror doctrine. “The challenge of cross-border terrorism continues, but Operation Sindoor marks a new face, that is now a new normal,” he said.
He laid out five pillars of this approach:
1. Terrorists will not be seen as proxies.
2. Cross-border terror will be met with suitable retaliation.
3. No dialogue alongside terror; talks only on terrorism.
4. No surrender to nuclear blackmail.
5. Peaceful neighbourhood cannot coexist with violence—“Blood and water cannot flow together.”
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