'Fabricated Islamophobia': India slams Pakistan at UN, questions airstrikes during Ramzan

India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish.

• India accused Pakistan of fabricating tales of Islamophobia
• India condemned Pakistan's repression of Ahmadiyyas, Afghan airstrikes
• India urged UN to address religiophobia beyond just one faith

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India called out Pakistan for its habit of “fabricating imaginative” tales of Islamophobia in neighbouring countries, questioning how Islamabad’s own brutal repression of Ahmadiyyas or air-bombing campaigns during Ramzan against Afghanistan can be characterised as.

Addressing the UN General Assembly commemoration of the 'International Day to Combat Islamophobia' on Monday, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish said, "India's western neighbour is an excellent example of fabricating imaginative tales of Islamophobia in their neighbourhood. One wonders what would brutal repression of Ahmadiyyas in this country be termed, or the large-scale refoulement of the helpless Afghans or air-bombing campaigns in this holy month of Ramadan?”

The statement comes on a day Afghan authorities accused Pakistan of carrying out airstrikes on a hospital in Kabul, reportedly killing over 400 people and injuring at least 250 others. Islamabad has denied targeting civilians, insisting it struck militant infrastructure.

In a strong retort, Harish also said that the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, which "our western neighbour has systematically attempted to weaponise against India”, has repeatedly made false and baseless allegations against India.

Underlining that India is home to more than 200 million Muslims, one of the largest populations of the community in the world, he said Muslims in India, including those in Jammu and Kashmir, elect their own representatives to speak for them.

“The only ‘phobia’ evident here appears to be directed against the multicultural and peaceful coexistence that all communities in India enjoy, including Muslim communities," said Harish.

"Such narratives run counter to India’s fundamental ethos and reflect instead the sectarianism and terrorist mentality that this country has perpetuated since its inception," he said.

Noting that the 1981 Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief remains a very balanced and enduring instrument, Harish said, "India also strongly condemned violence and hatred in the name of religion, regardless of the religion in question. As a nation where followers of virtually every major world religion coexist peacefully and a nation that has given birth to four major world religions, namely Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, India, more than any other country, is acutely aware of the need for a world free from religious discrimination."

“The philosophy of 'Sarva Dharma Sambhava' implying equal respect for all religions has been the civilizational way of life for India and one that inspired the secular ethos of the Indian Constitution,” he said.

Stressing that it is important for the UN to take note of the rising trend and dangers of weaponising religious identity and instrumentalising it to serve narrow political ends by state and non-state actors alike, the Indian representative said, “The United Nations was conceived as an institution that transcends religion, culture, and politics. Its credibility rests on universality and impartiality. We, therefore, urge caution against frameworks that exclusively focus on one faith, without addressing the broader phenomenon of religiophobia in all its manifestations.”

India reaffirmed its commitment to a world free from religious hatred and violence in all its forms. “We urge the UN to channel its time and limited resources towards building inclusive societies grounded in equality, dignity, and the rule of law - for every individual of every faith,” Harish said.

Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have sharply escalated into one of their most serious confrontations in recent years, with fresh attacks intensifying fears of a wider conflict. Pakistan maintains that the Afghan Taliban is providing safe haven to the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), while Kabul rejects the charge and calls the strikes violations of its sovereignty.