External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar addressed the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Saturday, strongly condemning Pakistan's comments regarding Kashmir, made by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif the previous day. Sharif had compared the situation in Jammu and Kashmir to that of Palestine, prompting a robust rebuttal from Jaishankar.

In his speech, Jaishankar stated, “We heard some bizarre assertions from this very forum yesterday. Let me make India's position very clear: Pakistan's policy of cross-border terrorism will never succeed, and it can have no expectation of impunity. Actions will certainly have consequences.” He reiterated that the only issue to resolve between India and Pakistan is the “vacation of illegally occupied Indian territory” by Pakistan and the abandonment of its longstanding ties to terrorism.

Sharif, during his address, urged India to reverse the abrogation of Article 370, which revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, and called for dialogue in line with UN Security Council resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people. He accused India of rejecting Islamabad’s proposal for a mutual strategic restraint regime and warned against potential Indian incursions into what Pakistan refers to as "Azad Kashmir."

Indian diplomat Bhavika Mangalanandan countered Sharif’s claims at the UNGA, highlighting Pakistan’s history of employing cross-border terrorism against India. “It has attacked our parliament, our financial capital, Mumbai, marketplaces, and pilgrimage routes. For such a country to speak about violence anywhere is hypocrisy at its worst,” she asserted.

In addition to addressing tensions with Pakistan, Jaishankar discussed pressing global issues, including the ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine. He emphasized the need for reform in multilateralism, noting, “Countries have extracted more from the international system than they have put into it. This cannot be delivered by a UN paralyzed when faced with divisions, conflicts, terrorism, and violence.”