Cross-border terrorism has been an issue between India and Pakistan since 1947

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday said terrorism cannot be legitimized as diplomacy or any other aspect of statecraft.

In a virtual conversation with former US National Security Advisor General HR McMaster, the EAM said the cross-border terrorism had been an issue between India and Pakistan since partition in 1947.

On the ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan, he said: “Look what I can tell you at this point of time, is that we had an agreement some weeks ago between our Director General of Military Operations that we would not fire across at each other, across the Line of Control, which has seen a lot of that. And it's seen a lot of that, mainly because there's been infiltration from their side.”

The EAM, who is on a five-day visit to the US, maintained that the two neighbours will have to find a way to co-exist while terming the ceasefire a "good step."

“At the end of the day, the two neighbours have to find ways. It's not a question of do we live with each other. You won't live with each other if you're agnostic about how you live with each other,” Jaishankar said.

In no way India will accept terrorism, nor will it be accepted as any other aspect of statecraft, the EAM said.

“On our side there has been clarity of thinking, and the clarity of thinking is that we cannot accept terrorism, or we cannot accept that it is in any way legitimate as diplomacy or as any other aspect of statecraft. So let us see, you know where this progresses. Obviously everybody hopes for the best,” he observed.

The EAM said cross border terrorism has been an issue between India and Pakistan since 1947. “So, there also has to be perhaps appreciation of what the costs have been to themselves. What it has done to their own society and how that has impacted them. I mean, they need to reflect on it because they are doing it to themselves,” he recalled.

On February 25, the militaries of India and Pakistan had agreed to strictly observe all agreements on a ceasefire along the LoC.