With reference to Pakistan's airstrikes in Afghanistan, consider the following statements: 1. India welcomed the airstrikes as a positive step towards regional security. 2. The airstrikes were conducted by the Ministry of External Affairs. 3. The airstrikes conducted on September 21, 2026, resulted in the death of 28 terrorists. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Pakistan must act against cross-border terrorism before world believes it would do what it says: MEA

GS2Polity · Governance · IR· India's bilateral relations· Prelims + Mains· 23 September 2026

Regional security and diplomatic stance on state-sponsored terrorism: a key GS2 International Relations topic.

Why in news

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that Pakistan must take credible action against cross-border terrorism to gain international trust following Pakistan's airstrikes in Afghanistan.

Background

On September 21, 2026, Pakistan conducted airstrikes in Afghanistan resulting in the death of 28 terrorists. India condemned these strikes as aggressive acts against a sovereign neighbor.

Facts for Prelims

PostRandhir Jaiswal: Spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA)
FactPakistan's airstrikes in Afghanistan on September 21, 2026, killed 28 terrorists
FactIndia condemned the airstrikes as aggressive acts against a sovereign neighbor

Prelims practice question

With reference to Pakistan's airstrikes in Afghanistan, consider the following statements:

India welcomed the airstrikes as a positive step towards regional security.
The airstrikes were conducted by the Ministry of External Affairs.
The airstrikes conducted on September 21, 2026, resulted in the death of 28 terrorists.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a)2 only
(b)3 only
(c)1 and 2 only
(d)1 and 3 only

Show answer

Answer: (b) 3 only — Statement 3 is correct. Statement 1 is incorrect: India condemned the strikes as aggressive acts against a sovereign neighbor. Statement 2 is incorrect: The airstrikes were conducted by Pakistan.

For Mains

Q. Discuss the implications of cross-border terrorism on India's regional security and the necessity of international pressure on state sponsors of terrorism.

Dimensions to cover in your answer

Diplomatic friction: India's condemnation of unilateral airstrikes against sovereign neighbors
Credibility gap: The requirement for verifiable actions over rhetorical commitments in counter-terrorism
Regional instability: Impact of cross-border strikes on the security architecture of Afghanistan

Keywords: cross-border terrorism · sovereign integrity · regional security · diplomatic condemnation · counter-terrorism

Read the full news →Report a mistake in this note Source: The Hindu ↗Also: GS3 · Terrorism & insurgency (J&K, North-East)

More International Relations notes

India Rejects Erdogan’s Jammu and Kashmir References at UN · 29 September 2026
Pakistan hosts SCO preparatory meeting; India attends amid Kashmir tensions · 29 September 2026
Japan urges India to speed up UNICORN radar deal amid Quad naval plans · 29 September 2026
US President Trump announces $15bn Essar Group steel mill project in Iowa · 29 September 2026
Muñiz: Companies Missing India Will Miss 21st Century Growth · 29 September 2026
Tarique Rahman, Bangladesh's Prime Minister, is scheduled to visit India in November for bilateral · 29 September 2026

All International Relations current affairs →

Something wrong, or something missing?

Spotted a mistake in a note, or want a topic, format or PDF that would help your preparation? Write to us. We read every mail and fix errors fast.

Report a mistake →Ask for something →thesatyadheesh@gmail.com

This note is generated automatically from SatyaDheesh's news feed and mapped to the UPSC CSE syllabus. Check facts against the original report or PIB before using them in an answer.