New York/New Delhi, July 1 (UNI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said it is very clear that the Pakistani state is “up to its eyeballs” in cross-border terrorism, and India has made its message "pretty clear” to Islamabad that it will exercise the right to defend its people.

“We are now moving to a policy of no impunity. We will not accept that the terrorists are proxies and somehow, therefore, the state is not culpable. I mean, we think it's very clear the Pakistani state is up to its eyeballs in this one," EAM Jaishankar said in an Exclusive Fireside Chat with Dev Pragad, Newsweek CEO, in New York.

"I think we will strike at terrorists. We will protect. We will exercise the right to defend our people. And I think that message has been made pretty clear."

On Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressing readiness for peace talks last week, EAM Jaishankar said:

"We are willing to hold talks on terror, but if there is an expectation that we will talk about other things while they continue their terrorism, I think that's, you know, that's not realistic," he said.

"Terrorism cannot be a diplomatic tactic of putting a neighbour under pressure, and saying, oh, OK, come and talk to me. You cannot be a good neighbour and be a terrorist at the same time. So, they have to end that terrorism."

India had launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, in response to the horrific April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were shot dead. Indian armed forces struck terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir under Operation Sindoor, which led to a military stand-off between both nations, which ended on May 10 with a ceasefire.

On Pakistan warning that it could resort to nuclear weapons during the military stand-off, EAM said:

"We are not going to yield to nuclear blackmail that you know there could be escalation, and therefore we should not do anything."

UNI RN