Jaishankar tells Pakistani journalist a terror state is questioning him
At the UN General Assembly, Jaishankar hit back at a Pakistani journalist's question on terrorism, and raised attacks on ships that killed Indian sailors.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar gave a sharp reply to a Pakistani journalist on Friday, September 25, 2026, when he was asked a question about terrorism. The exchange took place during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session, where Jaishankar was holding a joint press conference with Liberia's Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti. When a Pakistani journalist asked a question related to terrorism, Jaishankar hit back, saying, "A terrorist country is asking me this question."
India has consistently raised the issue of cross-border terrorism at United Nations forums and has accused Pakistan of supporting terrorist groups. This is not the first time Jaishankar has given such a sharp response to a Pakistani journalist's questions on terrorism. In an earlier exchange, a Pakistani journalist had asked Jaishankar how long terrorism would keep spreading from different parts of South Asia, including New Delhi, Kabul and Pakistan, and how long the region would remain in a war-like situation. Jaishankar had replied, "You are asking the wrong minister this question. Only a Pakistani minister can tell you how long Pakistan will keep supporting terrorism."
During the same visit, Jaishankar also met South Africa's Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola and Brazil's Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira. The three leaders together condemned last year's Pahalgam terror attack and reaffirmed their commitment to a zero-tolerance policy against terrorism. India, Brazil and South Africa together form the IBSA Dialogue Forum.
At the UN General Assembly, Jaishankar also raised concerns about attacks on merchant ships and sailors in the Gulf, the Red Sea and the Black Sea. He said India and Liberia were united in their commitment to the safety of ships and sailors. He referred to a recent attack on the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged cargo ship MV Cape Dao in the Gulf of Oman, in which an Indian sailor was killed.
Jaishankar said, "Two days ago, the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged cargo ship MV Cape Dao was attacked in the Gulf of Oman. An Indian sailor lost his life in this attack." He also referred to an attack on the Panama-flagged oil tanker Elsa Gaya in the Strait of Hormuz, in which an Indian crew member went missing. He said these attacks on ships had affected people from several countries.
