‘Zero-tolerance on terrorism’: EAM Jaishankar reiterates India’s tough stance during talks with UK

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday, June 7, reaffirmed India’s ‘zero-tolerance’ stance on terrorism during talks with his United Kingdom counterpart, David Lammy, in New Delhi. Jaishankar, according to media reports, urged global partners, including the UK, to recognise and support the country’s firm position, following the Pahalgam terror attack.Speaking at a joint press conference with Lammy, Jaishankar expressed strong disapproval of any moral equivalence being drawn between terrorists and their victims, particularly in the context of recent regional hostilities.

Jaishankar,

in a veiled reference to international responses during the recent Indo-Pakistan military escalation after the Pahalgam terror attack, said that India will never “countenance perpetrators of evil being equated with their victims”.
The Minister thanked the UK for its ‘strong condemnation’ of the Pahalgam terror attack and for standing “shoulder to shoulder” with India in its fight against terrorism, a PTI report mentioned.The conversation was a part of extensive bilateral discussions aimed at strengthening the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

India stands firm on terror

Jaishankar, as per the report, reiterated India’s zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism and stressed the importance of international partners acknowledging their approach. His comments come in the light of international reactions to Operation Sindoor, launched by Indian forces in retaliation for the Pahalgam attack, which targeted terror camps in Pakistan’s Punjab and PoK.

Earlier this week, the UK hosted the all-party delegation led by BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad. The delegation, on its European tour as a part of India’s diplomatic outreach on Operation Sindoor, met UK ministers, parliamentarians and think tanks to garner support for the fight against cross-border terrorism.

Strengthening trade and strategic ties

The Indo-UK bilateral discussions also focused on the growing economic and technological ties between the two nations. Jaishankar, according to a News18 report, expressed support for the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the Double Taxation Avoidance Convention.

The External Affairs Minister called them important steps forward, which will boost trade and strengthen supply chains.

He mentioned that FTA and the Technology Security Initiative (TSI) would not just increase trade but also improve cooperation in key areas like Artificial Intelligence (AI), quantum computing, semiconductors and biotech.

During his two-day visit to India, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal.