India sends stern message to China over support to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor

In a stern message to China over its alleged support to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor in May last year, India on Tuesday said it was for nations that consider themselves responsible to reflect on whether supporting attempts to protect terrorist infrastructure affects their “reputation and standing”.

India’s sharp response came amid reports regarding China’s support to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor last year.

Advertisement

Addressing his weekly media briefing in New Delhi, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, while responding to a media query on reports of China admitting on-ground support to Pakistan during India’s Operation Sindoor in May last year, said, “We have seen reports that corroborate what was known earlier.”

He stated that Operation Sindoor was a “precise, targeted and calibrated” response to the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, aimed at destroying state-sponsored terrorist infrastructure operating out of Pakistan and at its behest.

“It is for nations who consider themselves responsible to reflect on whether supporting attempts to protect terrorist infrastructure affects their reputation and standing,” Jaiswal added.

Responding to another media query regarding Nepal’s request for fertiliser support from India, the MEA spokesperson said, “We have received a request from Nepal for the supply of fertilisers. This is being processed within the existing framework of cooperation.”

He also informed that India had received an invitation for Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri to visit Nepal, with the dates to be finalised at the mutual convenience of both countries.

“We have received an invitation from the Nepalese side for our Foreign Secretary to visit Nepal. Dates for the visit will be finalised at the mutual convenience of the two sides, and we will keep you posted on these developments,” Jaiswal said.

During the media briefing, the MEA spokesperson also highlighted India’s energy cooperation with neighbouring countries.

“We have been supplying energy products to countries in the neighbourhood. We have been supplying diesel to Bangladesh through the high-speed diesel friendship pipeline. We also received additional requests from Bangladesh, which we have met and continue to meet,” he said.

Jaiswal added that India has also been supplying energy products to Bhutan under the existing arrangement, as well as to Nepal under commercial agreements currently in place.

“We have likewise supplied energy products to Sri Lanka, and there are some arrangements currently being worked out with Mauritius as well,” he added.