War is Not an Option, But Terrorism Must Be Confronted – NSA Doval to China’s Wang Yi
Beijing (The Uttam Hindu): Recently, a significant telephone conversation took place between India’s National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The main topic of this discussion was the growing tension between India and Pakistan and the need to maintain regional stability.
During the conversation, Doval clarified that "war is not an option for India," but after the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22, India had to take concrete action against terrorism. This attack had caused significant losses to Indian security forces.
China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi strongly condemned the attack, calling it a reprehensible act of terrorism. He also stated that China opposes all forms of terrorism and hopes that India and Pakistan will resolve the situation peacefully.
In the context of the military clash between India and Pakistan on May 7 and the subsequent ceasefire declared on May 10, Wang said that this step was commendable and had helped reduce regional tensions. Both countries had agreed to immediately halt all military actions from land, air, and sea.
NSA Doval informed Wang that after the Pahalgam attack, India had to take action against terrorism because the attack resulted in the loss of 26 lives and caused serious damage to India. Doval also emphasized that India is in favor of dialogue, but there can be no compromise when it comes to terrorism.
Wang stated that neighboring countries like India and Pakistan cannot afford to be distant from each other, and both are also neighbors to China. Therefore, maintaining regional peace and stability is of utmost importance. He added, "The world is undergoing significant changes and upheaval, so peace in Asia should be cherished."
China made it clear that it supports a broad and lasting ceasefire between India and Pakistan through dialogue. This is not only in the interest of both countries but also the international community.