Why Indian envoy to US corrected CNN host for saying 'India-administered Kashmir'

When CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer referred to Kashmir as “Indian-administered,” Indian Ambassador to the US Vinay Kwatra didn’t let it slide.

“First of all, I’m sorry, but let me correct you,” Kwatra replied. “The entire Jammu and Kashmir is integral to the Indian part of India. The only issue to be resolved there is the return of the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.”

The exchange took place during a recent interview with the American news network, where Kwatra was asked about reports of explosions in the region. In response, he clarified that while India received reports of some activity, “We don’t have the operational details relating to that.”

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In the same conversation, the Ambassador strongly condemned the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which killed 26 civilians. Describing it as “the most heinous terrorist act,” he said, “Our foremost objective in this was to hold these lowlifes, subhuman monsters accountable and bring justice to the victims.”

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Amid escalating tensions, Kwatra’s sharp and assertive remarks during the interview have been grabbing headlines. Here’s a closer look at what he said and who he is.

‘We are at war with terrorists’

When asked whether India is at war with Pakistan, the Indian Ambassador made it clear that the country’s focus is on combating terrorism.

“We are at war with terrorists and we will, as I said, bring justice to the victims and hold them accountable,” he said during the CNN interview.

Kwatra went on to launch a sharp critique of Pakistan, accusing it of standing by terror outfits instead of acting against them.

“What it shows the world is that Pakistan has again decided to stand with the terrorists. Rather than take action against them, they are essentially lending them support,” he said. “We wouldn’t be surprised if they are themselves involved in this.”

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He continued, “That’s the message they’re sending to the world — that they are with terrorists, not with the rest of the civilised world, in these brutal killings of innocent civilians.”

“Pakistan’s belief lies in perpetrating these proxies of terror killings, brutal killings of innocent civilians,” he added.

India’s Ambassador to the U.S., Vinay Kwatra, spoke eloquently with @CNN on Pakistan’s terrorism in Kashmir, detailing how Pakistan escalates conflict with India. Listen to his articulate remarks. pic.twitter.com/AHVZ5U2VNk

— Awasthi (@Awasthiii18) May 9, 2025

‘Denial and obfuscation’

Responding to Pakistan’s denial of any involvement in the April 22 Pahalgam attack, Kwatra said that “denial and obfuscation” has always been the first part of Pakistan’s strategy.

“They have this unique characteristic where they assume responsibility for their past actions in the future, not in the present moment,” he said.

Underscoring the fact that four terrorists backed by Pakistan killed 26 civilians in Pahalgam, Kwatra said “in no world would you allow such terrorists to be given a free pass. And that is precisely what we did [in Operation Sindoor]."

He described the action as “a very precise, calibrated, measured response to these terrorists, to their factories, to their integrated facilities, which they run out of Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.”

When asked how concerned the world should be that the tensions between India and Pakistan could escalate into a nuclear war, the Indian envoy said,

“I think the world should be concerned about the fact that Pakistan’s support to terrorism and terrorist activities continues. I think that’s what the world should be concerned about. And I think that’s what the world should tell Pakistan — to stop supporting terrorism. I think that’s the crux of the question."

Who is Vinay Kwatra?

Vinay Mohan Kwatra is a seasoned Indian diplomat with over three decades of experience in foreign service.

Born on December 15, 1962, he joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1988 and has since held several key positions, including India’s Ambassador to France and Nepal.

He served as India’s 34th Foreign Secretary from May 2022 to July 2024. In August 2024, he took over as India’s Ambassador to the United States — his second stint in Washington, DC.

Kwatra holds a Master’s degree in Science and a diploma in International Relations from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva. He is fluent in French, Russian, Hindi, and English.

In his early diplomatic career, Kwatra was posted in Geneva as Third Secretary and later as Second Secretary in India’s Permanent Mission until 1993. He later served in Indian missions in Durban, China, and Russia, and worked in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on key portfolios, including India’s development programme in Afghanistan and regional affairs in SAARC.

Between 2015 and 2017, he played a key role in shaping India’s foreign policy as Joint Secretary in the MEA and later in the Prime Minister’s Office. His strategic contributions during this period were publicly acknowledged by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

Kwatra has also headed the MEA’s Policy Planning & Research Division and the Americas Division, overseeing relations with the US and Canada. From 2010 to 2013, he was posted as Minister (Commerce) at the Indian Embassy in Washington.

Now, as Ambassador to the US, Kwatra continues to play a pivotal role in navigating India’s foreign policy at a critical time.

With input from agencies