‘Pakistan must decide whether it wants to be part of geography or history’: Army Chief Upendra Dwivedi

In a stern message to Pakistan, Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi on Saturday said that if Islamabad continues to harbour terrorists and operate against India, the neighbouring country will have to decide whether it wants to be a part of geography or history.

General Dwivedi made the remarks while speaking at an interactive session at the Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi in response to a pointed question on the Indian Army’s response if the circumstances that led to Operation Sindoor come up again.

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“If you have heard me earlier, what I have said… that Pakistan, if it continues to harbour terrorists and operate against India, then they have to decide whether they want to be part of geography or history or not,” the Chief of Army Staff said.

His comments have come days after India marked one year of Operation Sindoor against Pakistan. They also come amid the renewed calls for resuming dialogue with Pakistan.

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Dattatreya Hosabale recently called on the government to keep the window for dialogue with Pakistan open.

Former Army Chief General MM Naravane also backed the RSS leader and favoured dialogue between New Delhi and Islamabad.

While an official response from the Indian government is still pending, Pakistan has called it a “positive development”.

“The voices within India calling for dialogue are obviously a positive development. We hope that sanity will prevail in India…. We, of course, will see if there is an official reaction to those voices in India,” said Pakistan’s foreign office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi.