UNITED NATIONS – Having zero tolerance for terrorism should be the fundamental principle at any debate on promoting international peace and security, said India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, P. Harish, slamming Pakistan for giving sermons against terrorism while indulging in it.
“It ill behooves a member of the Council to offer homilies while indulging in practices that are unacceptable to the international community,” Harish said.
Harish was responding to a statement by Pakistan July 22, 2025 at a UN Security Council’s high level open debate on “Promoting International Peace and Security through Multilateralism and a Peaceful Settlement of Disputes”
Presenting India’s official statement, Harish pointed to the stark difference between India and Pakistan in terms of progress, prosperity and development models. “On the one hand, there is India which is a mature democracy, a surging economy and a pluralistic and inclusive society. At the other extreme is Pakistan, steeped in fanaticism and terrorism, and a serial borrower from the IMF,” he said.
Chaired by Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, during Pakistan’s rotating Presidency of the Security Council for the month of July 2025, the debate was briefed by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. More than 80 Member States joined discussions on strengthening diplomacy and mechanisms for conflict prevention.
Harish stated that while bilateral and multilateral negotiations are the basic principles of prevention of conflicts, there is an urgent need for national ownership and consent of all parties in any efforts for a peaceful resolution.
This would mean imposing serious cost to States who foment cross-border terrorism and violate the spirit of good neighbourliness and international relations, said Harish calling for stricter measures in dealing with such States.
Such strict measures were proposed by the Security Council itself, Harish said, referring to its suggestion to hold accountable the perpetrators of the recent massacre of 26 innocent tourists in Pahalgam on April 22, 2025.
On April 25, 2025, “members of the Security Council underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of this reprehensible act of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice”, Harish said.
Harish said India has always acted responsibly and has worked constructively with other states of the UN towards ‘a more peaceful, prosperous and just and equitable world’.
India dealt with this act of terrorism by launching a precise and measured Operation Sindoor which targeted terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). India withdrew as soon as Pakistan requested a ceasefire, he added.
Current conflicts in the world are intensified due to cross-border funding, arms trafficking, training of terrorists, and spread of radical ideologies, facilitated by modern digital and communication technologies. This has created an immediate need to review the implementation of multilateralism and peaceful settlement of disputes promised in the UN Charter, Harish said.
Reaffirming India’s commitment to multilateral cooperation to meet global challenges including sustainable development, climate action, disaster resilience and global health, Harish spoke of India’s contribution to UN Peacekeeping in areas of security, decolonization and fair trade. “India remains a pioneer in promoting women in peacekeeping, who have become role models, while serving in theatres of conflict,” he said.
“India partners the United Nations in a unique development cooperation initiative and is also among the first responders in humanitarian crises in our region,” he said.
Inclusivity in the Security Council and its expansion were also the topics mentioned by India. Giving example of India’s efforts as President of the G-20 to include the African Union, Harish urged the UN Security Council to urgently address fair representation.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres reiterated pursuit of peace as the UN’s purpose. “Peace is a choice, and the world expects the Security Council to help countries make that choice”, he said. Guterres reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to lead and support preventive efforts. Dialogue and diplomacy are indispensable in today’s world, he said. Member States reaffirmed their full support for the Secretary-General and the UN’s mediation capacity.
At the outset of the meeting, the 15-member Security Council unanimously adopted draft resolution 2788 (2025) aimed at strengthening mechanisms for the peaceful settlement of disputes.
The draft resolution reinforced the UN Charter’s peaceful settlement tools and urged all member states to support the Secretary-General’s mediation and preventive diplomacy efforts. It suggested preventive diplomacy should involve well-trained experts that are geographically and linguistically diverse. It also reaffirmed the need to enhance cooperation with regional bodies and civil society and promote inclusive participation, especially of women and youth, in conflict prevention and dispute resolution effort.
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