India Dismisses Pakistan’s UN Security Council Role as ‘Ceremonial’

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In a pointed diplomatic exchange, India has publicly downplayed Pakistan’s recent appointment to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), labeling its position as largely “ceremonial.” The remarks from Indian officials came as Pakistan began its two-year term as a non-permanent member and, subsequently, its rotating presidency of the council for the month of July. This development has placed the two nuclear-armed neighbors in a direct and prominent forum at a time of heightened regional tension.

The friction became particularly visible during a high-level open debate on promoting international peace and security, where India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, issued a sharp rebuke. Harish highlighted Pakistan’s long history of sponsoring cross-border terrorism and using international forums to push what he called a false narrative on Kashmir. He pointedly referred to Pakistan as a “serial borrower” and a nation “steeped in fanaticism and terrorism,” criticizing its economic instability and debt dependency.

This diplomatic pushback follows a period of renewed hostility after the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, in April 2025. The attack, which claimed the lives of 26 Indian tourists, was carried out by The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist group. In the aftermath, India launched a military operation, dubbed “Operation Sindoor,” targeting terrorist camps and infrastructure in Pakistan.

In his statement, Ambassador Harish insisted there should be a “serious cost” for nations that support cross-border terrorism. The Indian representative’s comments were made during a debate presided over by Pakistan’s Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, and were designed to counter any attempts by Islamabad to use its position to raise the Kashmir issue.

While Pakistan’s non-permanent membership and month-long presidency offer it a temporary platform to influence the council’s agenda, Indian officials believe its role is limited by the permanent members’ veto power and the broader international consensus against terrorism. A recent report by a UNSC sanctions committee notably named the TRF and its links to LeT for the first time, a development Indian officials have hailed as a significant diplomatic victory. This suggests that despite Pakistan’s seat at the table, its attempts to divert attention from terrorism are facing growing scrutiny from the international community.

The diplomatic standoff at the UN highlights the deep-seated mistrust between the two nations. It underscores India’s strategic effort to expose what it sees as Pakistan’s double-dealing on terrorism, even as Islamabad gains a more visible role in global security affairs.