New Delhi: Foreign secretary Vikram Misri on Monday told a parliamentary committee that the recent conflict between India and Pakistan remained “conventional” and there was “no nuclear signalling” by the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
As per sources cited in a PTI report, Misri, who led the Centre’s briefing on India’s ‘Operation Sindoor’ on Monday, underlined that the ceasefire understanding was reached bilaterally. Misri made this clarification when panel members repeatedly mentioned about US claims about its role in ending the four-day military conflict.
Sources also said that Misri pointed out that Islamabad’s use of Chinese-made weaponry, including the HQ-9 missile defence system, “did not matter” because “what matters is we hit their air bases hard…” while retaliating to Pakistan’s stepped up attempts to target Indian military installations and civilian areas.
The diplomat refused to comment on whether any Indian fighter jets were shot down by Pakistani air defences, as he cited national security considerations, sources said.
The meeting of Parliament’s Standing Committee on External Affairs, chaired by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, was attended by lawmakers, including TMC’s Abhishek Banerjee, Congress’ Rajeev Shukla and Deepender Hooda, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, and BJP’s Aparajita Sarangi and Arun Govil.
‘Pakistan initiated the ceasefire’
The panel was also informed that Pakistan had initiated contact first, on May 10 afternoon, after precision strikes by the Indian military targeting Pakistani military installations, including the China-made HQ-9 system in Lahore and the strategically significant Nur Khan air base.
Sources said Misri said a request for a ceasefire came from Islamabad, specifically from Pakistan’s Director-General of Military Operations, who reached out to his counterpart in Delhi. There was no ‘third-party mediation’ in this matter. Misri underlined that US had no role to play in the May 12 ceasefire.
Misri pointed out that Pakistan’s plea for a ceasefire was listened by Delhi, and agreed for the understanding as targets set under Operation Sindoor had been hit successfully.
