During extensive bilateral discussions between External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy on Saturday, India reaffirmed its strong anti-terrorist position, stressing that terrorists are not the same as their victims.
In a joint press conference, Jaishankar expressed gratitude to the UK for supporting India in its war against terrorism and for its vehement denunciation of the "barbaric" Pahalgam terror attack.
Jaishankar also praised the recently signed Double Taxation Avoidance Convention and India-UK Free Trade Agreement as "truly a milestone" in bilateral relations during the talks.
“We practice a policy of zero tolerance against terrorism and expect our partners to understand it. We will never countenance perpetrators of evil being put at par with their victims,” remarked Jaishankar.
The comments come amid concern in New Delhi over attempts by some countries to draw parallels between India and Pakistan during the recent four-day military escalation between the two neighbours.
Lammy, who arrived in New Delhi earlier in the day for a two-day visit, is in India to review key elements of the strategic partnership, including defence cooperation, trade, and regional security.
The Indian side is believed to have brought up the subject of cross-border terrorism that stems from Pakistan. During the military escalation last month, the UK was one of the nations that interacted with both India and Pakistan.
Lammy had visited Islamabad on May 16, just days after the two countries agreed to halt their military operations on May 10.
Jaishankar also praised the recently signed Double Taxation Avoidance Convention and India-UK Free Trade Agreement as "truly a milestone" in bilateral relations during the talks.
Notabky, Lammy's visit coincides with fresh attempts to deepen diplomatic and economic ties and is the first high-level interaction between the two countries since the military conflicts last month.
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