NEW YORK/SRINAGAR: India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, has asserted that the foremost obstacle to improving relations with Pakistan is ending terrorism.
Speaking at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) on Tuesday, he highlighted India’s long-standing experience as a victim of cross-border and global terrorism and reaffirmed the nation’s zero-tolerance stance.
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Harish, delivering a keynote on “Addressing Global Challenges: The India Way,” emphasized that terrorism poses a universal threat without boundaries or justification. During an interactive session, he noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had previously sought to engage Pakistan, but repeated terrorist activities shattered trust.
“Engagement begins with Pakistan ending terrorism—that’s the critical first step,” Harish stated. He called for global collaboration to combat terrorism, stressing the urgency of tackling challenges such as cyber terrorism, online radicalization, terror financing, and the use of advanced technologies by extremists.
Referring to the 9/11 attacks in the U.S. and the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, Harish emphasized the importance of justice for victims. “A single attack or life lost is one too many. Accountability is key to ensuring such tragedies never happen again.”
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Harish also addressed nuclear concerns, underscoring India’s commitment to universal and verifiable nuclear disarmament. He reaffirmed India’s policy of maintaining credible minimum deterrence with a “no first use” doctrine and warned against the risks of terrorists acquiring weapons of mass destruction.
India’s approach, he concluded, is grounded in collaboration with global partners, combining decisive action with international cooperation to strengthen counter-terrorism.