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Press Statement by High Commission of India on Pahalgam terrorist Attack

Press release

  1. As a part of the High Commission’s regular media outreach, High Commissioner interacted with representatives from various Guyanese media houses.
  1. High Commissioner briefed the media-persons on recent developments in the aftermath of the heinous terrorist attack perpetrated by terrorists from across the border in Pakistan in Pahalgam in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir on 22 April 2025, in which 26 innocent civilian men were shot point-blank by the terrorists in front of their close female family members. High Commissioner shared a detailed chronology of this horrific and inhuman terrorist act which has invited unequivocal condemnation by the international community. The international community has also expressed their support for India’s fight against terrorism.
  1. In that context, High Commissioner also thanked H.E. Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali for his message condemning the terrorist act and expressing solidarity with India, immediately after the incident on 22 April 2025. India greatly values this unwavering support and expression of solidarity by Guyana.
  1. High Commissioner explained that the Pahalgam terror attack was perpetrated by a terrorist group, The Resistance Front, a front organization affiliated to a known United Nations Security Council (UNSC) sanctioned terrorist organisation, Lashkar-e-Taiba. There is clear link between this terrorist outfit and internationally known and UNSC sanctioned terrorist outfits like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, which are sheltered in and provided support by Pakistan to carry out cross-border terrorism in India.
  1. The clear motive of this barbaric terror attack was to undermine the return of normalcy in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, including peace and development after recently held democratic elections and a democratically elected government chosen by the people of the region assuming office. Their aim was also to derail growth and development in the region, especially tourism. Their objective was also to create communal discord, both in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir and, by extension, all over in India. However, their nefarious designs did not succeed. The people of Jammu & Kashmir came out openly against terrorist attack in support of the victims and families affected by the terrorist attack. The local people helped the victims and their families and expressed appreciation for various developmental initiatives implemented by the Government of India to promote economic growth, employment and all-round development of the region.
  1. All political parties, across the entire political spectrum, in India unequivocally expressed their solidarity, condemning the terrorist attack and supporting Government of India in their measures to effectively counter cross-border terrorism. The international community too has expressed its unequivocal support to India in measures to combat terrorism.
  1. High Commissioner emphasized that the terror attack in Pahalgam was part of Pakistan's long and dubious track record of perpetrating cross-border terrorism in India. Pakistan has a tainted track-record of harbouring infamous international terrorists like Osama Bin Laden in Abbottabad, Pakistan. Pakistan continues to harbour known UNSC sanctioned terrorists like Hafiz Mohamed Saeed and continues to provide shelter and support to other UNSC sanctioned terrorists organisations that carry out terrorist activities not only in India, but other countries as well. India has repeatedly provided evidence of such terrorist activities and India will provide evidence of clear links of the terrorists and terrorist outfits harboured by Pakistan who were responsible for the terrorist attack in Pahalgam.
  1. However, given the brazen act of terrorism to create fear and sheer impunity with which innocent civilians were targeted in front of their family members leaving indelible scars on the minds of the families of the victims, which included Hindus, Muslims and Christians and people of other nationalities including a Nepalese citizen. It was necessary that India sent out a clear message that such horrendous terrorist acts will not go unpunished. There will be retribution against such crimes against humanity.
  1. India responded with Operation Sindoor, which was a calibrated, measured, non-escalatory and proportionate response, specifically targeting locations harbouring terrorists connected to known the aforementioned terrorist organisations. Operation Sindoor was focused on dismantling terrorist infrastructure and was not directed against civilians or military installations in Pakistan. Despite that, Pakistan escalated the situation, targeting civilians and military installations in India. India’s response was proportionate and reciprocal. India has provided clear evidence of its actions in a detailed media briefing by senior officials of the Indian Armed Forces.
  1. Thereafter, at Pakistan’s request, made by their Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) to the Indian DGMO, a ceasefire was announced w.e.f from 5 pm (India time) on 10 May 2025. However, despite requesting this ceasefire, Pakistan violated it immediately, by sending drones and resorting to firing on Indian civilian and military locations. India again responded in a proportionate and reciprocal manner. Subsequently, the two DGMOs spoke again and a ceasefire has been in place since then.
  1. High Commissioner also briefed the media-persons about the Indus Water Treaty, its origin and developmental imperatives. It was emphasized that India’s repeated requests to revisit the treaty in light of demographic changes and other developmental considerations including impact of climate change etc have been ignored by Pakistan. After the heinous terrorist attack in Pahalgam on 22 April 2025, India decided to keep the treaty in abeyance. India’s position has been that the Treaty was signed in 1960s and it requires revisiting the provisions of the treaty in light of changing environmental and developmental imperatives. India has not stopped the flow of water immediately.
  1. In response to a media query by representative from Stabroek News regarding India's position on Guyana-Venezuela border issue, High Commissioner stated that both countries should abide by the spirit of the Argyle Declaration. High Commissioner also clarified that Government of Guyana has already said that they will abide by the decision of the ICJ. Therefore, there was no need to engage in any speculation on a matter which is under consideration by the ICJ. In response to specific query again by the same media-person whether India supports Guyana, it was clarified that India and Guyana share a long standing and multifaceted partnership. India has always supported Guyana and it will continue to do so in the future as well.
  1. On a media query related to energy security, High Commissioner informed that India-Guyana partnership is broad-based and multifaceted and the hydrocarbons sector is just one of them. In response to a follow-up and specific query whether India and Guyana are cooperating in the field of oil & gas, High Commissioner clarified that in case Guyana makes any specific proposal, India will certainly consider that but at this juncture there is no such proposal on the table.
  1. In context of defence and security cooperation, High Commissioner informed that capacity building in defence and security arena has been a part of India’s cooperation with Guyana in capacity building for many decades now and India sees such cooperation in context of our long-standing partnership with Guyana. He informed that India recently supplied two HAL 228-201 (Dornier) aircraft to Guyana to assist in maritime security and emergency medical evacuation. Any future requests from the Government of Guyana for defence and security cooperation, too, will receive due consideration.

   

  1. High Commissioner also briefed the media-persons on other capacity building initiatives such as the Indian Technical & Economic Cooperation Programme and various scholarships offered by Indian Council for Cultural Relations, covering a wide range of areas including agriculture, education, media and communications, cyber security etc. He informed that there has been a noticeable increase in the number of Guyanese participants in such programmes which has increased from 50 to over 140 in the last two years. High Commissioner also shared details regarding various cultural and Yoga events being organized by the High Commission in collaboration with the Government of Guyana and other socio-cultural organisations in Guyana. High Commissioner informed about the ongoing folk-art exhibition at the National Museum in Georgetown, which has been organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth, Culture & Sports, Government of Guyana and the Bihar Museum in India, and is part of India-Guyana Cultural Exchange Programme signed during the visit of Hon’ble Prime Minister of India to Guyana in November 2024.
  1. High Commissioner also mentioned about various Yoga events lined up in the run up to the 10th anniversary of International Day of Yoga, which will be celebrated on 21 June, 2025.

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