Union Ministers VK Singh and MJ Akbar addressing the media with Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar.
India today said that peace talks with Pakistan can't take place in the "shadow of violence and under the spray of bullets" and that surgical strikes across the Line of Control were meant to deliver the message that terrorism will not be accepted as the "new normal".
This message against Pakistan has been heard across the world with a "clear unanimity" that sponsorship of terrorism is heinous, Union Minister and former Army Chief General (Retd.) VK Singh said at a press conference in Delhi, adding that India's position on terror has been widely accepted by the world. "In the coming year, the world will be even stronger in its condemnation of the evil."
Mr Singh said even now India's intention of having peaceful ties with Pakistan have not changed. "Our own good faith has been amply demonstrated time and again through repeated initiatives to normalise the relationship. However, as we have often stated, talks and terror cannot go together," he said.
"All the countries of the region, barring one, have demonstrated their willingness to stand together against the menace of terrorism that could undermine their collective hopes. India too, has shown that we will not back down in the face of assaults against the security of our people, the prosperity of the region and interests of the international community," Mr Singh added.
Like China for Pakistan, Mr Singh said Russia has been an "all-weather friend" of New Delhi and that it is confident that Moscow will not do anything which will have an adverse bearing on India's security.
Mr Singh was addressing a press conference with his External Affairs ministry colleague MJ Akbar, listing the successes of the ministry under the Modi government.
Asked about demands by a section that India should discontinue diplomatic engagement with Pakistan in view of its support to terrorism, Mr Akbar said the bilateral engagement needs to continue.
"As Atal Bihari Vajpayee famously said we cannot change our neighbours. We have to deal with them with eyes open. We do not deal with them with minds closed. And in that respect talk of inflammation does not necessarily help. We hope that Pakistan will see the path of reason. Hope Pakistan's friends will persuade it to see the path of reason. Let there be peace then there will be dialogue," he said.
On India Afghanistan relations, Mr Singh said, "India's own development record is well known and speaks for itself. Our relationship is so close," adding that any political settlement in Afghanistan will have to be "Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled."
(With PTI Inputs)