Pahalgam terror attack: India briefs envoys of G20 nations

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri apprised the diplomats about various aspects of the dastardly terror attack on innocent civilians and India's firm policy of 'zero tolerance' against terrorism, they said.

New Delhi: India on Thursday briefed New Delhi-based envoys of almost all G20 nations and those from its strategic partners on the dastardly Pahalgam terror attack and its link to cross-border terrorism, people familiar with the matter said.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri apprised the diplomats about various aspects of Tuesday's terror attack that killed 26 innocent people and India's firm policy of "zero tolerance" against terrorism, they said.

The briefing was held a day after India announced a raft of measures against Pakistan including expulsion of Pakistani military attaches, suspension of the Indus Water Treaty of 1960 and immediate shutting down of the Attari land-transit post.

The Cabinet Committee on Security headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi firmed up the punitive measures against Pakistan in view of the cross-border links to the Pahalgam attack.

Envoys of G20 member nations such as the US, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, Australia, Indonesia and China attended the briefing.

Envoys of India's close strategic partners including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Malaysia also joined it.

Last night, Misri said the cross-border linkages to the Pahalgam attack was "brought out" in a briefing to the CCS following which it decided to take the measures against Pakistan.

The new retaliatory actions shut down the few existing diplomatic mechanisms between the two sides taking bilateral relations to yet another new low.

Amid nationwide outrage over the terror strike, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the killers of Pahalgam will be pursued "to the ends of the earth" as he promised to "identify, track and punish every terrorist and their backers".

In an address at Bihar's Madhubani, Modi vowed to punish terrorists behind the strike and said India's spirit will never be broken by terrorism.

"Friends, today from the soil of Bihar, I say to the whole world India will identify, track, and punish every terrorist and their backers," he said.

"We will pursue them to the ends of the earth. India's spirit will never be broken by terrorism. Terrorism will not go unpunished," he added.

"Every effort will be made to ensure that justice is done. The entire nation is firm in this resolve. Everyone who believes in humanity is with us. I thank the people of various countries and their leaders who have stood with us in these times," he said.