New Delhi
India on Friday strongly backed Bangladesh’s quest for justice for atrocities by the Pakistani military, including the killing of millions of Bangladeshis and mass sexual violence against women, during the country’s liberation war in 1971 in the face of Islamabad’s non-commital response to Dhaka’s recent highlighting of these crimes.
The external affairs ministry outlined India’s position on the issue three days after Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman described Operation Searchlight – the Pakistani military’s brutal crackdown on the nationalist movement in the erstwhile East Pakistan – as “one of the most heinous genocides in history”.
External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal referred to the “terrible atrocities” perpetrated by Pakistan during Operation Searchlight while backing Bangladesh’s desire for justice. “The genocide involved systematic and targeted killing of millions of innocent Bangladeshi people and mass sexual violence against women. It also forced millions of Bangladeshi people out of their country – they came to India as refugees,” he told a weekly media briefing.
“These atrocities, needless to say, shook the conscience of the world at large. Pakistan however, remains in denial to this very day of its crimes. We support Bangladesh in its desire for justice,” Jaiswal said.
As Bangladesh observed “Genocide Day” on March 25 to pay tribute to those killed in 1971, Rahman issued a message that said the genocide perpetrated on that day was a “pre-planned massacre”. March 25, 1971, “remains one of the most disgraceful and brutal days” as Pakistani occupation forces indiscriminately opened fire on teachers, intellectuals and civilians at various places, including Dhaka University and Rajarbāgh Police Lines.
{{/usCountry}}As Bangladesh observed “Genocide Day” on March 25 to pay tribute to those killed in 1971, Rahman issued a message that said the genocide perpetrated on that day was a “pre-planned massacre”. March 25, 1971, “remains one of the most disgraceful and brutal days” as Pakistani occupation forces indiscriminately opened fire on teachers, intellectuals and civilians at various places, including Dhaka University and Rajarbāgh Police Lines.
{{/usCountry}}Rahman said the resistance against the genocide by the 8th East Bengal Regiment in Chattogram on the night of March 25, 1971, led to the nine-month liberation war.
Bangladesh has long sought an apology from Pakistan for the killings and sexual violence by Pakistani forces in 1971, though Islamabad has routinely spurned such requests.
When Pakistan’s foreign ministry spokesperson was asked about Rahman’s message, he replied that Islamabad considers the events of 1971 to be “complex and open to differing interpretations”. The spokesperson also called for constructive engagement based on objectivity, mutual respect and a shared commitment to historical accuracy and made no reference to an apology.
India’s victory over Pakistan, along with the surrender of more than 90,000 Pakistani soldiers, on December 16, 1971 led to the emergence of Bangladesh as an independent nation.
Jaiswal responded to another question on Pakistan Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir’s reported criticism of Pakistani Shias who are sympathetic towards Iran by saying that Islamabad has an “abysmal record” of protecting the rights of the country’s minority communities.
Senior leaders of Pakistan’s Shia community have criticised Munir for reportedly saying during a meeting with Shia clerics that those who are sympathetic towards Iran amid the West Asia conflict should “go to Iran”.
Jaiswal said the Indian side has seen reports on this issue. “Such comments are not isolated incidents but are part of Pakistan’s systemic victimisation of minorities, including the Shia minority in that country,” he said.
“The shrinking numbers of minorities in Pakistan reflect the decades of fear, marginalisation, oppression and neglect that they have had to endure at the hands of the Pakistani state. The abysmal record of Pakistan when it comes to protection of human rights of minorities is also well documented,” he added.
Jaiswal declined to comment when asked about external affairs minister S Jaishankar’s reported remarks describing Pakistan as a “dalal nation” at a meeting of all political parties convened by the government this week to discuss the West Asia conflict. The all-party meeting was a “closed door meeting”, he said.
“As regards Pakistan’s long-standing approach to global conflicts and tensions, you may care to listen to criticisms by defence minister Khawaja Asif, member of National Assembly Bilawal Bhutto and former PM Imran Khan,” Jaiswal said.
Khan had said in 2018 that Pakistan was treated “like a hired gun” to fight other people’s wars, while Asif told Sky News in 2025 that the country had been doing the “dirty work” of the US and the UK for decades.