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synopsis
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri briefed a parliamentary panel on the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor, highlighting Pakistan’s terror nexus and reaffirming India’s conventional military response.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Monday briefed the Parliament’s Standing Committee on External Affairs on the investigation into the Pahalgam terror attack and the subsequent military conflict between India and Pakistan. The high-level meeting, chaired by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, was attended by several prominent lawmakers, including TMC's Abhishek Banerjee, Congress leaders Rajeev Shukla and Deepender Hooda, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, and BJP MPs Aparajita Sarangi and Arun Govil.
Terrorists in Touch with Pakistan-Based Handlers
Quoting sources, PTI reported that Misri told the panel that the probe into the Pahalgam attack revealed that the terrorists involved had “communicated with masterminds in Pakistan.” He further informed the committee that, “UN-designated terrorists roam freely in Pakistan, continue to incite violence against India.”
The foreign secretary asserted that a “nexus [was] evident among terrorists, military intel agency, civilian administration of Pakistan.” Noting Pakistan’s “track record” in terrorism, Misri described the country’s terror infrastructure as “well established, rooted in solid facts and evidence.”
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His comments come amid the recent arrest of 12 individuals—including a YouTuber—from Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh on espionage charges. Ongoing investigations suggest the emergence of a Pakistan-linked spy network operating across northern India.
The briefing occurred against the backdrop of Operation Sindoor, launched by the Indian Armed Forces in response to the Pahalgam terror attack. During the operation, Indian forces targeted nine terrorist sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, neutralizing nearly 100 terrorists and destroying hideouts belonging to Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen.
India and Pakistan reached an understanding to halt all military actions on May 10. Misri reiterated that the conflict remained within “the conventional domain, with no indication of nuclear signalling from Pakistan.”
No Foreign Mediation in Ceasefire Decision
Reaffirming India's stance on the ceasefire, Misri told the panel that “the decision to halt military operations was made bilaterally.” This was in response to opposition demands for clarification following US President Donald Trump’s claims that his administration helped broker the truce.
When asked about Trump’s social media posts portraying himself as instrumental in stopping hostilities, Misri reportedly quipped that “the US president did not take his permission to do so.”
In response to queries from MPs about the possibility of Pakistan using Chinese platforms during the conflict, Misri said it did not matter as “India hammered Pakistani air bases.”
Asked about Turkiye’s adversarial position, he stated that the country had “traditionally not been a supporter of India.”
The government has also decided to send all-party delegations to 33 global capitals to brief foreign leaders about India’s determination to fight terrorism, particularly in light of Operation Sindoor.
Panel Supports Misri Amid Trolling
Committee members reportedly condemned the online trolling of the foreign secretary following the cessation of military operations and praised his professional conduct throughout the crisis.
This was the first day of a two-day briefing by Misri to the panel on “current foreign policy developments regarding India and Pakistan.”
