NEW DELHI: India firmly dismissed Pakistan’s repeated references to Jammu and Kashmir during a United Nations debate on peacekeeping reforms, denouncing them as “misplaced and irrelevant.” India reiterated that the region “has always been and will remain an inseparable part of India.”
India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, strongly criticized Pakistan for attempting to “derail discussions” on peacekeeping with its misleading statements. Addressing the Security Council, he said, “Once again, the Pakistani representative has made unwarranted remarks on Jammu and Kashmir, an integral part of India. Such baseless claims neither alter historical facts nor justify Pakistan’s state-sponsored cross-border terrorism.”
Harish further asserted that Pakistan continues its illegal occupation of a portion of Jammu and Kashmir and must vacate the territory. “If Pakistan is truly concerned about peace, it should first withdraw from the illegally held regions of Jammu and Kashmir,” he stated, making it clear that India’s sovereignty was not up for debate in global forums.
Dismissing Pakistan’s repeated attempts to use international platforms for its “narrow and divisive propaganda,” Harish remarked, “Pakistan must refrain from diverting discussions meant for meaningful global cooperation. India will not engage further in responding to these unfounded allegations.”
While the UN debate focused on modernizing peacekeeping operations, India emphasized the urgent need for reforms to address evolving threats posed by armed groups, non-state actors, and advanced weaponry. Ambassador Harish stressed the importance of adequate funding to equip peacekeeping missions for contemporary challenges.
Highlighting India’s leadership in promoting gender inclusivity, Harish noted that the country recently hosted the first-ever Global South Women Peacekeepers’ Conference, advocating for greater participation of women in peace missions. “The question is no longer whether women can contribute to peacekeeping—it is whether peacekeeping can succeed without them,” he remarked.
India reaffirmed its steadfast commitment to UN peacekeeping and underscored the pressing need for Security Council reforms to make the body more reflective of today’s geopolitical realities.
