India rules out talks with Pakistan

India on Thursday ruled out talks with Pakistan until the neighbouring country takes credible action against terrorism emanating from its soil.

“Talks and terrorism cannot go together…the onus is on Pakistan to take credible steps and to create conducive conditions by stopping its support to terrorism and dismantling the terrorist infrastructure on its soil,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said at a media briefing. He was asked if any ‘Track II’ diplomatic initiative was on for engaging Pakistan.

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The spokesperson said Pakistan’s continued support to terrorism was one of the reasons India cancelled the meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmud Qureshi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly last month.

He said the Indian Army would be in a better position to respond to the Pakistan Army’s statement that it would conduct 10 ‘surgical strikes’ in response to a single such operation by India.