
Ambassador Kwatra To CNN: India Is At War With Terrorists
Photo: CNN screengrab.
NEW YORK, NY – India’s Ambassador to the United States, Vinay Kwatra, called on the international community to shift its focus away from fears of nuclear conflict and instead confront Pakistan’s continued support for terrorism.
“I think the world should be concerned about the fact that Pakistan’s support to terrorism and terrorist activities continues,” Kwatra said in an interview with CNN when asked whether there was danger of a nuclear war between the neighbors. “That’s what the world should tell Pakistan—to stop supporting terrorism. I think that’s the crux of the question.”
The ambassador’s comments came in the wake of Operation Sindoor, a series of precision strikes conducted by India targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. These were carried out in retaliation for a brutal terrorist attack on April 22 in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians.
Kwatra described the strikes as a “very precise, calibrated, measured response” and emphasized that the targets were limited strictly to terror networks. “We were very careful in excluding the military establishment and economic infrastructure,” he said. “Our foremost objective in this was to hold these lowlifes, subhuman monsters accountable and bring justice to the victims.”
He accused Pakistan of not only harboring terror groups but also actively supporting them. “Pakistan has again decided to stand with the terrorists… Rather than take action against them, they are essentially lending them support,” Kwatra said. “We wouldn’t be surprised if they are themselves involved in this.”
Refuting Islamabad’s denial of involvement, the ambassador stated: “Denial and obfuscation has always been the first part of Pakistan’s strategy. They have this unique characteristic where they assume responsibility for their past actions in the future, not in the present moment.”
‘We Are at War with Terrorists’
When asked if India was at war with Pakistan, Kwatra responded: “We are at war with terrorists and we will, as I said, bring justice to the victims and hold them accountable.” He added that the original escalation came from the terror attack itself: “When you talk of tensions or when you talk of escalations, I would say that the original escalation happened on April 22… What we did yesterday was our response to terror.”
Correcting the Record on Kashmir
During the interview, CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer referred to Kashmir as “Indian-administered.” Ambassador Kwatra promptly and firmly corrected the phrasing.
“First of all, I’m sorry, but let me correct you,” he said. “The entire Jammu and Kashmir is integral to the Indian part of India. The only issue to be resolved there is the return of the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.”