New York: In a fiery address at the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday, July 21, India’s Permanent Representative Parvathaneni Harish tore into Pakistan’s track record on peace, democracy, and economic stability.
Speaking during a high-level open debate on ‘Promoting International Peace and Security through Multilateralism and Peaceful Settlement of Disputes’, Harish drew sharp comparisons between New Delhi’s development trajectory and Islamabad’s continued reliance on extremism and external borrowing.
“India is a mature democracy, a surging economy, and a pluralistic and inclusive society. At the other extreme is Pakistan, steeped in fanaticism and terrorism and a serial borrower from the IMF," Harish said.
Asserting that India has made significant gains in the global economy while maintaining its democratic character and security frameworks, Harish added, “India is a responsible actor, and a founding member of the United Nations… working towards a more peaceful, prosperous, and a just and equitable world.”
Have a look at his entire statement here:
India Recalls Pahalgam Attack, Defends 'Operation Sindoor'
Harish’s remarks also touched upon the recent violence in Pahalgam, pointing directly at Pakistan for backing cross-border terror. He referred to the April 22 Pahalgam incident in which 26 civilians were gunned down by Pakistani terrorists.
He revealed that India launched Operation Sindoor in retaliation, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK). The strikes, he clarified, were “focused, measured, and non-escalatory in nature”.
The exchange led to heightened tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours, culminating in cross-border firing until a ceasefire was reached on May 10. Harish clarified that it was Pakistan that had approached India seeking the ceasefire, which was a direct rebuttal to US President Donald Trump’s claim of brokering a ceasefire between the two nations.
Calling for a universal commitment to a zero-tolerance approach towards terrorism, Harish said that it was “ill-behoved” of Pakistan, a Council member, to “offer homilies while indulging in practices that are uncceptable to the international community”.
