India strongly rebuked Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar for his remarks on Kashmir and the Indus Waters Treaty during the 33rd Regional Forum meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Manila. The Indian government labeled these comments as baseless and unwarranted, accusing Pakistan of using multilateral forums to spread falsehoods and state-sponsored disinformation.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, denounced Pakistan’s exploitation of international platforms to divert attention from its support for global terrorist networks. India reiterated its stance that Jammu and Kashmir, as well as Ladakh, are integral parts of the country, dismissing Pakistan’s interference in these matters.
Furthermore, India clarified its position on the Indus Waters Treaty, stating that it remains suspended due to Pakistan’s backing of cross-border terrorism. The MEA emphasized that the treaty will only be reinstated when Pakistan unequivocally renounces its support for such activities. India urged Pakistan to focus on combating terrorism within its borders instead of propagating disinformation and religiously charged rhetoric against India.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar participated in the Foreign Minister level Meetings under the ASEAN framework in Manila, including the ASEAN-India, East Asia Summit (EAS), and ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Meetings.
