Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: Pakistan did not resort to nuclear signalling following 'Operation Sindoor' and the conflict between India and its neighbour was restricted to conventional domain, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told a Parliamentary panel on Monday.
He also insisted that Washington was “neither involved nor informed” about the ceasefire between both the countries, amid the government facing questions over US President Donald Trump’s claims on brokering peace between the two countries after the launch of ‘Operation Sindoor’.
Briefing the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, sources said Misri rebutted Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi's claim citing a remark by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, saying Pakistan were informed about ‘Operation Sindoor’ only after the first strike.
He also told the panel headed by senior Congress MP Shashi Tharoor that the government is sending multi-party delegations to various countries “not because of diplomatic failure” but as part of a strategy to enrich people with information about India’s stand. These delegations will be meeting state actors as well as civil society, Misri said.
The panel also unanimously condemned the “vicious” trolling of Misri after he announced the decision of ceasefire on May 10, Tharoor told reporters after the three-hour-long meeting. “He requested that no resolution be passed. He has performed good service for the nation, we all stand with him,” he said.
At the meeting, MPs posed a series of questions on ceasefire, nuclear threat, US intervention, media narrative, social media, intelligence failure, terrorists involved in Pahalgam, use of Chinese weapons by Pakistan, military losses, relationship with Turkiye and IMF loan to Pakistan.
Sources said MPs were told that India witnessed at least 24 strikes sponsored by Pakistan in which terrorists used military-grade weapons, drones, secure communication gadgets and steel coated bullets and 24 security personnel and around 30 civilians were killed. UN-designated terrorists “roam freely” in Pakistan and continue to incite violence against India.
Misri said that Pakistan “did not resort to nuclear signalling” though US President Donald Trump had claimed that both countries were on the verge of a nuclear war and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his address to the nation, referred to India not succumbing to “nuclear blackmail” in future.
On questions about Trump, Misri made it clear that there was no intervention by the US and the talks on ceasefire were initiated after the Pakistan Director General of Military Operations approached India. The US was “neither involved nor informed” about the ceasefire, sources quoted Misri as saying.
To a query on why India is allowing Trump to take the centre-stage, Misri said in a lighter vein, “he didn't take my permission.” He said the MEA has denied Trump’s assertions on his mediation and trade threats.
When asked about Chinese weapons being used by Pakistan, Misri said it doesn’t matter which platform they were using but the fact is that “we hammered” their bases. He also said the Ministry of Defence could speak about losing Indian jets.
On Turkiye supporting Pakistan and providing arms to it, he said Istanbul had traditionally not been a supporter of India.
The MPs were also told that Pakistan is trying to project a false equivalence with India by projecting that it is also a victim of cross-border terrorism by alleging New Delhi’s involvement in killings of some individuals, which it labels extra-territorial.
“We had a very comprehensive and rich discussion. We had 24 members attending. I think this is a record for this committee. Many of the MPs had thoughtful questions to ask. The committee has covered a lot of constructive ground and has left with satisfactory responses to various questions,” Tharoor said.