External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar emphasised the government’s steadfast commitment to responding to any act of terrorism perpetrated from across the border on Friday, following a report in the prominent British daily The Guardian claiming that the nation’s external espionage agency R&AW removed wanted terrorists deep inside Pakistan at the behest of the Centre.

Comparing the response to the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai to that of the previous Congress-led UPA government at the Centre, the External Affairs Minister stated that a nation “cannot have any rules” while dealing with terrorists because they break the law.

“The UPA government undertook several rounds of discussions following the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai, but ultimately concluded that ‘the cost of striking Pakistan is larger than the cost of not attacking it’. “When something like Mumbai occurs, how can you stop the next one from happening if you don’t respond to it?” the EAM asked the young people of Pune during the book’s Marathi translation premiere.

The terrorists need not to consider that since we are on this side of the queue, nobody could possibly attack us. There are no rules for terrorists to follow. Rules cannot be the solution to terrorism,” the EAM continued.

When asked which nation was the hardest to maintain and develop positive bilateral relations with, Jaishankar mentioned Pakistan, citing earlier terrorist attacks carried out from across the border in the former state of Jammu and Kashmir.

He claimed that although Pakistan had dispatched tribal people from the northwest to carry out operations in the former Indian province, the government had at the time classified them as “infiltrators” rather than “terrorists,” as if to imply that they were a “legitimate force.”

Although Narendra Modi took office as prime minister in 2014, the issue predates that year. It didn’t even begin until 1947, not long after the 26/11 terrorist assaults in Mumbai. In 1947, this began. The first attacks on Kashmir occurred in 1947 when individuals from Pakistan arrived there; this was terrorism. They were cities, towns on fire. People were being killed by them. These were guys from the northwest front of Pakistan; the Pakistani army ordered them to completely disrupt Kashmir, threatening to ‘come after you,'” according to Jaishankar.

“What actions did we take? After we dispatched the soldiers, Kashmir was integrated. The troops continued to work, but we gave up. We then proceeded to the UN. As you can see, the demands India made of the UN on the Kashmir dispute back in the day contain no mention of terrorism. It speaks of a “tribal invasion,” as if it were an authorised force. The Pakistan Army sent infiltrators in 1965 before launching an attack. We must have an extremely clear mentality. Terrorism is not acceptable under any circumstances, Jaishankar stated.

The External Affairs Minister declared in May of last year that “terrorist victims do not sit together with perpetrators of terrorism.”

Speaking at a press conference following the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers meeting, Jaishankar chastised Pakistan’s Foreign Minister at the time, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, for his comments about “weaponising terrorism.”

“Terrorist victims and offenders do not come together to talk about terrorism. That is precisely what is happening when victims of terrorism defend themselves, stop terrorist activities, call them out, and legitimise them. As if we are on the same boat, to come here and spout these deceitful things,” Jaishankar remarked.