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Informist, Monday, May 19, 2025

NEW DELHI – Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri Monday told Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs that External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had informed Pakistan about Operation Sindoor only after Indian forces had attacked the terrorist camps on May 7, a source said. The Congress party and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi has accused Jaishankar of alerting Pakistan in advance about the strikes which allegedly allowed terrorists like Masood Azahar of Jaish-e-Mohmmad and Hafiz Saeed of Lashkar-e-Taiba to escape the attack.

Misri told members that Jaishankar informed Pakistan government about Indian strikes after terrorist camps at nine location in Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir were destroyed in the early hours of May 7, the source said. The foreign secretary also said that Jaishankar's statement was taken out of context.

Misri briefed the parliamentary committee on Operation Sindoor and India-Pakistan relations for nearly three hours and also responded to the questions asked by members during this time. On the issue of boycott Turkey calls on social media, Misri told members that, historically, India's relations with Turkey and Pakistan haven't been good and expressed similar sentiment for future also, the source familiar with development said.

Misri also rejected US President Donald Trump's claim that he negotiated the ceasefire between New Delhi and Islamabad and prevented a nuclear war. Misri reiterated that India and Pakistan bilaterally arrived on an understanding to stop military action and also said that there was no indication of a nuclear war from Pakistan, the source said. On a question that Trump repeatedly taking the credit for silencing the guns, Misri smiled and maintained that both the countries arrived on the understanding bilaterally, the source said.

The foreign secretary gave a thorough power-point presentation on Operation Sindoor to members. He evaded questions pertaining to number of Indian aircraft shot down by Pakistani forces citing national security concerns, the source said.

Following the meeting, committee Chairman and Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said that it was a very thorough, wide ranging discussion and nearly 23 members attended the meeting. "...So, the fact is that we had a very, very thorough discussion. There was even a desire to have a resolution expressing solidarity with the foreign secretary in the face of the unwarranted attacks upon him. He himself requested that there should be no resolution. It was unanimous sentiment of the committee that he has performed good service for the nation, and we all stand with him," Tharoor said.

"The committee has in many ways covered a lot of constructive ground and left with satisfactory responses to various questions."

Indian armed forces launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 to strike at terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir in retaliation for last month's Pahalgam terrorist attack in which 26 people, mainly tourists, were killed. The Indian armed forces destroyed terrorist camps at nine locations under Operation Sindoor, the government said, adding that over 100 terrorists were killed in Indian strikes. End

Reported by Kuldeep Singh

Edited by Akul Nishant Akhoury

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