Jaishankar Clarifies in Berlin: ‘Not a Kashmir Conflict, But a Terror Attack by Pakistan’

By A Staff Reporter

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar firmly rejected any characterization of the recent India-Pakistan clashes as a “conflict in Kashmir,” stating in Berlin that the events were a direct response to the Pahalgam terror attack and not a territorial or political dispute. He emphasized that equating the victims with the perpetrators would be both misleading and unjust.

Speaking at the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP), Jaishankar said, “This was not a conflict in Kashmir. This was a brutal terrorist attack, part of a consistent pattern targeting not just Jammu and Kashmir but other parts of India too.” He criticized the global tendency to frame such incidents under the generic lens of “conflict,” which he said dangerously blurs the line between aggressor and victim.

India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in retaliation for the April Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians. The strikes targeted terror infrastructure inside Pakistan, triggering four days of intense military exchanges before both nations agreed to de-escalate on May 10.

Jaishankar highlighted that the attack was designed to instill fear, damage Kashmir’s tourism economy, and stir religious tensions by targeting victims based on their faith. He added that India’s response drew considerable international support, with even the UN Security Council calling for the perpetrators to be held accountable.

“There is virtually no country today that would condone such an act of terror,” Jaishankar stated, noting Germany's condemnation and support for India's right to self-defence.

In his broader remarks, he also called for stronger India–Europe cooperation, especially with Germany, in areas like digital infrastructure, space tech, telecom, and healthcare. Referring to growing strategic concerns in the Indo-Pacific, he cautioned that without diversified partnerships, countries in the region risk being “railroaded”—a veiled reference to China’s Belt and Road Initiative.