India slams Pakistan, calls for an end to cross-border terrorism

India has strongly criticized Pakistan for its support of terrorism, emphasizing that the global community is well aware of the country’s role as a promoter of cross-border terrorism.

During a press briefing on Friday, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal highlighted that nations responsible for such activities are widely recognized and urged Pakistan to take decisive measures to curb cross-border terrorism.

Addressing a query regarding Pakistan's Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement accusing the Indian Army of being politicized, following remarks by Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi linking terror activities in Jammu and Kashmir to Pakistan, Jaiswal remarked, "The whole world knows, who is promoting terrorism. In India, when we have terror-related attacks, where it is coming from, we all know the genesis, the root of cross-border terrorism. So, in this context, when the whole world knows who is the progenitor of cross-border terrorism, to say that we are trying to politicize something etc is totally immaterial. Everyone knows that there are people, there are countries who are responsible for cross-border terrorism and we call upon Pakistan to take strict action to stop cross-border terrorism."

The ISPR issued its statement following General Dwivedi’s assertion that Pakistan is the epicenter of terrorism, noting that 80% of terrorists operating in Jammu and Kashmir originate from Pakistan.

During the annual Army Day press conference on January 13, General Dwivedi attributed the violence in Jammu and Kashmir to Pakistan, stating that it continues to orchestrate terror activities.

"If the support is not forthcoming the way India is looking at it, this kind of terrorist infiltration will continue to be there," he explained. He also noted the positive impact of elections in the region, with nearly 60% voter turnout in both parliamentary and assembly elections. "It means that the local population is going with the peace. People of Jammu and Kashmir are shunning violence, and violence is being orchestrated by our Western adversary Pakistan," he said.

As a former Northern Army Commander experienced in counter-terrorism operations, General Dwivedi revealed that 15,000 additional troops were inducted in 2024, leading to a significant reduction in violence. "We have been able to neutralize 73 terrorists out of which 60% were Pakistan terrorists," he stated.