India reiterated its right to defend itself against Pakistan-backed cross-border terrorism on Thursday as the country marked the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor, the military strikes carried out in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack that triggered four days of intense hostilities between the two countries.
India will also continue to focus on strengthening the worldwide fight against terrorism, external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told a weekly media briefing when he was asked about India’s stance towards terrorism sponsored by Pakistan and the decision taken last year to snap all engagements with the neighbouring country, including limited trade contacts, and to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty.
“Today, we are marking the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor. The entire world saw the Pahalgam terrorist attack for what it was. We gave a befitting reply to Pakistan for its sponsorship of cross-border terrorism,” Jaiswal said.
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“The world knows that cross-border terrorism has long been used by Pakistan as an instrument of state policy. We in India have every right to defend ourselves against terrorism. We will continue to work to strengthen the global fight against terrorism.”
{{/usCountry}}“The world knows that cross-border terrorism has long been used by Pakistan as an instrument of state policy. We in India have every right to defend ourselves against terrorism. We will continue to work to strengthen the global fight against terrorism.”
{{/usCountry}}The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy for Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack in April last year, when terrorists singled out and killed 26 men, including a Nepali national, on the basis of their faith. In response, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, 2025, targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir with long-range weaponry.
India’s strikes triggered a rapid escalation in tensions with Pakistan, which launched retaliatory strikes against military installations and other facilities. The two sides targeted each other with drones and missiles for four days, before the hostilities ended with an understanding between senior military officials of the two sides on May 10.
Jaiswal responded to another question on the status of the Indus Waters Treaty — which New Delhi had suspended in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack while saying that “blood and water cannot flow together” — by saying that India’s position on the pact concluded in 1960 has been “consistent”.
“The Indus Waters Treaty stands in abeyance in response to Pakistan’s sponsorship of cross-border terrorism. Pakistan must credibly and irrevocably abjure its support for cross-border terrorism,” he said.
New Delhi decided to keep the treaty on the sharing of the water of cross-border rivers in abeyance as part of a series of punitive diplomatic and economic measures after the Pahalgam terror attack. India and Pakistan signed the Indus Waters Treaty — which was brokered by the World Bank — in September 1960 after nine years of negotiations.
In a social media post, external affairs minister S Jaishankar said Operation Sindoor demonstrated India’s resolve to defend itself against cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan.
“With its decisive actions, India ensured accountability for terrorist actions. And underlined that such a serious threat to peace and security will be effectively countered,” he said. India, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stands “strong and determined” to convey a message of “zero tolerance” for terrorism, he said.