Uri and Balakot strikes were a befitting reply by India to the rising terrorism on the West front, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said as he highlighted the country’s response to cross-border terrorism from Pakistan.
The foreign minister’s remark came as he addressed the Pandit Hriday Nath Kunzru Memorial Lecture 2024 at New Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University.
“The Uri and Balakot strikes by India sent its own message to the world. The West front terrorism got a befitting reply,” Jaishankar said.
In 2016, India carried out a surgical strike against Pakistan-based terror units in response to an attack on an army base in Kashmir’s Uri. Again in 2019, the Indian Air Force (IAF) carried out an airstrike on Pakistani terror camps in Balakot after 40 Indian soldiers were killed in the Pulwama attack.
“The calculus of national security has become much more complicated. Traditional methods of competing and pressuring are buttressed by new tools of influence and disruption. Here too, Bharat has pushed back with determination and fortitude,” Jaishankar said.
India worked on ’long-neglected’ border infra
Jaishankar underscored how India is strengthening its border infrastructure that was “long-neglected” and said that the country has made the defence of the nation “more effective”.
“When we were challenged on the LAC with China in the midst of Covid, our rapid and effective counter deployments were the appropriate answer. Seeking to rectify the long neglect of the border infrastructure. We have made the defence of the nation much more effective,” he said.
Impact Shorts
More Shorts‘Bharat’s answer is in Atmanirbharta’
India’s push for self-reliance is a motivation to other countries, asserted Jaishankar.
The foreign minister said that while ‘Bharat’ won’t shy away from answering questions, it also dares to question the questioners.
“Economically, Bharat’s answer is in greater Atmanirbharta. Politically, a more authentic and rooted representation that will contest the propaganda which will favour the compliant and discredit it. Bharat will never shy away from questions, but equally, Bharat has the courage to question the questioners,” he said.
“Upgrading our skills, promoting talent and innovation, making it easier to do business and supporting national products are all facets of the transformation underway,” he added.
With inputs from agencies