India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told broadcaster CNN News18 on Friday that India would enter Pakistan to eliminate anyone who escapes across the border after attempting terrorist activities in India.
Singh’s statement followed a report in Britain’s Guardian newspaper claiming that the Indian government had killed approximately 20 individuals in Pakistan since 2020 as part of a broader strategy to eradicate terrorists residing abroad.
India’s foreign ministry did not comment on the report when approached by Reuters, while Pakistan’s foreign ministry declined to provide a response, maintaining that Pakistan does not harbor militants.
In response to the report, Singh stated, “If they flee to Pakistan, we will pursue them into Pakistan and eliminate them.”
He also emphasized India’s desire for good relations with neighboring countries but stressed that India would not tolerate repeated provocations or attempts to promote terrorist activities.
Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after a 2019 suicide bombing in Kashmir, attributed to Pakistan-based militants, led India to conduct an airstrike on what it claimed was a militant base in Pakistan.
Earlier this year, Pakistan alleged credible evidence linking Indian agents to the killing of two Pakistani citizens on its soil, which India dismissed as false propaganda.
The Guardian’s report comes amid accusations from Canada and the U.S. regarding India’s involvement in killings abroad. Canada reported pursuing credible allegations linking India to the death of a Sikh separatist leader in June, while the U.S. claimed to have thwarted an Indian plot to kill a Sikh separatist leader in November.
Indian Prime Minister Modi has stated that India will investigate any information regarding these matters.
