India Says Pakistan Is Uneasy About Strengthening India-Afghanistan Relations

India on Tuesday firmly dismissed Pakistan's criticism of its growing engagement with Afghanistan, describing the remarks as a sign of Islamabad's insecurity and frustration over the strengthening relationship between New Delhi and Kabul. Responding to media queries during the Ministry of External Affairs' regular press briefing in New Delhi, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Pakistan's comments reflected its discomfort with the positive momentum in India-Afghanistan ties. His remarks came after Pakistan Army spokesperson Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry reportedly urged Afghanistan to distance itself from "non-believers" while invoking religious references.

Jaiswal said such statements clearly indicated Pakistan's unease over the deepening partnership between India and Afghanistan. His response followed the recent visit of Afghanistan's Minister of Agriculture, Mawlawi Attaullah Omari, to India in July. During his visit, Omari spoke warmly about the relationship between the two countries, saying he felt as though he was among his own people and remarking that India and Afghanistan shared the "same DNA," highlighting their longstanding historical and cultural ties.

During the same briefing, Jaiswal also reiterated India's position on the Indus Waters Treaty. He said the treaty would remain in abeyance until Pakistan takes credible, irreversible steps to end its support for cross-border terrorism. According to the MEA spokesperson, India's stand on the matter has remained consistent and unchanged.

India's position was also recently outlined by its Ambassador to the United States, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, in an opinion article published in Newsweek. In the article, Kwatra argued that New Delhi's decision to keep the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance was a direct consequence of Pakistan's actions, particularly after the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam. He said Pakistan's threats and rhetoric over the treaty appeared to be an attempt to shift attention away from its own internal challenges.

Kwatra noted that the treaty was originally signed in a spirit of goodwill and friendship, but argued that Pakistan had gradually undermined that foundation through its continued support for terrorism. He said India's decision to suspend the treaty's implementation merely acknowledged the reality created by Pakistan's own actions over the years.

The ambassador further stated that meaningful cooperation between the two countries can only resume if Pakistan dismantles the terror infrastructure operating from its territory. He maintained that genuine progress on issues such as water sharing and broader bilateral engagement would depend on Islamabad taking credible action against cross-border terrorism.

India's response underscores its commitment to expanding cooperation with Afghanistan despite Pakistan's objections. At the same time, New Delhi has once again made it clear that any improvement in relations with Pakistan will remain contingent on concrete and verifiable measures to eliminate terrorism, reinforcing a position that has consistently shaped its regional diplomacy.