New Delhi: India delivered a blistering rebuke to Pakistan on Friday, describing the country’s recent election in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK) as a “humiliation” inflicted by its own electorate on the political establishment. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), during a media briefing on Friday also called for an independent international investigation into a violent state crackdown that has left more than 40 people dead.
The MEA spokesman, Randhir Jaiswal, delivering some of New Delhi’s sharpest language on Islamabad in recent months, said internal violence in Pakistan had escalated steeply, with former militant proxies and mujahideen now turning their weapons inward and deepening the country’s volatility.
Referring to the situation in Pakistan, Jaiswal said the country’s crackdown had resulted in more than 40 deaths and that the “mujahideen have turned their guns inward”. He described the elections as a humiliation and a rejection of the Pakistani establishment, adding that there were growing calls for an independent international investigation into alleged unlawful killings. India, he said, expected the international community to closely scrutinise Pakistan’s actions and its human rights record.
139 Indians discharged from Russian military
On Indian nationals recruited into Russia’s armed forces amid the war in Ukraine, the MEA reported substantial progress through sustained diplomatic engagement with Moscow. A total of 139 Indian nationals have now been discharged and repatriated through diplomatic channels, Jaiswal said.
India is still pursuing the release of roughly two dozen Indian nationals believed to remain in Russian units, he added. Reaffirming New Delhi’s consistent position on the conflict, the ministry repeated its call for an immediate end to hostilities and a return to dialogue and diplomacy.
US deports over 2,200 Indians so far in 2026
The briefing also addressed illegal migration and deportation protocols with Washington. Jaiswal said India continues to work with foreign governments on the deportation of its nationals and conducts due diligence to verify their nationality before facilitating their travel.
He said 3,567 Indian nationals were deported from the US in 2025. Referring to the current year, Jaiswal said that more than two thousand Indian nationals have been deported from the US since 1 January 2026.
India defends export control regime
Responding to a recent Amnesty International report on strategic technology exports, the MEA said India maintains a robust, law-based regulatory framework governing strategic trade controls. Jaiswal said all exports of dual-use items and sensitive technologies strictly complied with domestic legislation and with India’s international non-proliferation obligations.
On maritime security, the ministry clarified that India is not part of the Saudi Arabia-led coalition operating in the Red Sea. It confirmed that around 30 Indian seafarers are on board a Tanzanian-flagged vessel currently being monitored, adding that the government had no information on separate reports concerning an Indian-flagged vessel.
Energy security national priority
On energy security, Jaiswal said the government’s position had been clearly articulated on several occasions already. He reiterated that energy security remains a national priority for India.
The government, he added, continues to remain engaged with relevant stakeholders on the issue through various channels.
Nepal issues remain under discussion
On regional diplomacy, the MEA acknowledged that several issues remain unresolved on the bilateral agenda with Kathmandu, and said structured engagement continued across technical, administrative and higher diplomatic levels.
When a reporter asked about the US ambassador’s recent visit to Bangladesh, Jaiswal declined direct comment, saying the governments of Bangladesh and the US were best placed to address queries about their bilateral interactions.