External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday firmly denied the Congress party’s accusation that he had “informed” Pakistan prior to India’s launch of Operation Sindoor. He described the charge as both “dishonest” and “a misrepresentation of events,” according to individuals familiar with the proceedings of the Parliament's consultative committee meeting on cross-border terrorism.
The controversy arose during a meeting of the consultative committee, where the Congress raised concerns about Jaishankar allegedly tipping off Pakistan ahead of India's military operation targeting terror infrastructure across the border.
Jaishankar, addressing the issue, called for national unity on matters of national security, urging political leaders to maintain cohesion in line with the objectives of ongoing diplomatic engagements. He noted that parliamentary delegations from various political parties have been visiting international capitals to explain India’s position on cross-border terrorism from Pakistan, especially following the execution of Operation Sindoor.
Rahul Gandhi’s accusation
The uproar followed remarks by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who accused Jaishankar of publicly admitting that the government had informed Pakistan about the planned military strike. Gandhi questioned the rationale behind such a move and its consequences for the Indian Air Force.
"Informing Pakistan at the start of our attack was a crime. The External Affairs Minister has publicly admitted that the Government of India did it. Who authorised it? How many aircraft did our Air Force lose as a result?" Gandhi posted on X (formerly Twitter).
He also circulated an undated video clip showing Jaishankar saying: “At the start of the operation, we had sent a message to Pakistan, saying, ‘We are striking at terrorist infrastructure and we are not striking at the military. So the military has the option of standing out and not interfering in this process.’ They chose not to take that good advice.”
Gandhi, who currently serves as the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and represents Rae Bareli, interpreted this statement as an admission that Pakistan was warned in advance, which he claimed compromised national security.
Government and MEA response
In response, the Ministry of External Affairs categorically rejected Gandhi’s interpretation. A spokesperson said that any such claim amounted to a complete distortion of facts and would be considered an “utter misrepresentation” of the events and statements.
Adding to the clarification, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) also fact-checked the video being circulated by Gandhi. Its Fact Check Unit stated that the claims being made were misleading and confirmed that Jaishankar had not said that India informed Pakistan before the operation. According to the PIB, the minister’s statement was being selectively quoted and taken out of context.
The controversy has sparked a wider political debate over the handling of sensitive military operations and the role of public communication by political leaders, with Jaishankar and the Ministry of External Affairs standing firm on the claim that no prior warning was given to Pakistan and that national interest remained paramount throughout.
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