India rebukes Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif at UN, rejects Kashmir claims, warns terrorism will have consequences and defends its right to self-defence.

Introduction

India on Saturday strongly responded to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's address at the 81st United Nations General Assembly, rejecting his remarks on Kashmir, terrorism and the 2025 India-Pakistan military confrontation.

Exercising India's Right of Reply, Indian diplomat Petal Gehlot described Sharif's remarks as "bizarre" and warned that continued terrorism would have consequences. India also accused Pakistan of presenting a different image of itself at the UN from the policies New Delhi says it follows on the ground.

India Warns Pakistan Over Terrorism

The strongest part of India's response was its warning on terrorism. Gehlot said India had demonstrated during the previous year's conflict that terrorists would have "nowhere to run and nowhere to hide".

She added that India's right to defend itself against terrorism would be exercised and that continued terrorism from Pakistan would have consequences. The statement comes amid continuing disagreements between New Delhi and Islamabad over allegations of cross-border terrorism.

India also challenged Pakistan's presentation of itself as a country committed to regional security. Gehlot argued that the international community should judge Pakistan's policies on their actions rather than on statements made by its representatives at the UN.

Osama Bin Laden Reference

During her Right of Reply, Gehlot referred to the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks and highlighted that Osama bin Laden, the mastermind of the attacks, had been found living in Abbottabad, Pakistan, close to the Pakistan Military Academy.

India used the reference to question Pakistan's credibility when discussing terrorism and security before the international community.

Sharif Credits Trump for 2025 Intervention

In his roughly 23-minute address to the UN General Assembly on Friday, Shehbaz Sharif credited US President Donald Trump for what he described as a "timely intervention" during the May 2025 India-Pakistan conflict.

Sharif argued that Trump's intervention came at a critical moment when the two nuclear-armed neighbours were facing the possibility of a wider confrontation. He also raised the Kashmir issue and called for a "just and fair" solution.

India, however, has consistently rejected claims of third-party mediation in the cessation of hostilities in May 2025. New Delhi has maintained that the understanding followed direct communication between the two countries' military officials.

India Rejects Pakistan's Kashmir Narrative

Sharif again raised Jammu and Kashmir during his UN speech, arguing that resolving the issue was necessary to prevent another escalation in South Asia.

India rejected the argument and reiterated its position that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral and inalienable part of India.

Turning the focus toward Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Gehlot referred to allegations of killings and human-rights violations in the region and challenged Pakistan's references to democratic values and human rights.

India Raises Pakistan's Democratic and Minority Record

India also responded to Sharif's references to democracy, human rights and religious tolerance.

Gehlot criticised Pakistan's political system and argued that the country's military continues to exercise substantial influence over political affairs. She also pointed to Pakistan's blasphemy laws and treatment of minorities while challenging Islamabad's claims about religious tolerance. These were India's assertions during its Right of Reply and represent New Delhi's position in the diplomatic exchange.

Indus Waters Treaty Becomes Another Flashpoint

The Indus Waters Treaty was another major issue raised during Sharif's address.

Sharif criticised India's decision to hold the 1960 treaty in abeyance and warned that any attempt to stop, impede or divert Pakistan's share of Indus waters would be treated by Islamabad as an "act of war".

India has linked its decision on the treaty to the broader security situation following the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack. New Delhi has said the treaty will remain in abeyance until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably ends support for cross-border and other forms of terrorism.

Background: Pahalgam Attack and Operation Sindoor

The latest diplomatic confrontation is rooted in the events of 2025.

On April 22, 2025, a terrorist attack in Pahalgam killed 26 people. India subsequently launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, 2025, targeting what New Delhi described as terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The military confrontation lasted several days before hostilities stopped.

The two countries continue to offer different accounts of the events surrounding the subsequent cessation of military action, including the role, if any, played by the United States.

Key Highlights

• India exercised its Right of Reply at the UN General Assembly on Saturday.
• Indian diplomat Petal Gehlot strongly rejected Shehbaz Sharif's remarks.
• India warned that continued terrorism would have consequences.
• Gehlot referred to Osama bin Laden's presence in Pakistan before his death.
• Sharif credited US President Donald Trump for his "timely intervention" during the 2025 conflict.
• Pakistan again raised the Kashmir issue at the UN.
• India reiterated its position on Jammu and Kashmir.
• The Indus Waters Treaty remains a major point of disagreement between India and Pakistan.
• Sharif warned that interference with Pakistan's share of Indus waters would be treated by Pakistan as an "act of war".
• India maintains that the 2025 cessation of military action did not involve third-party mediation.

Professional Disclaimer & Third-Party Reference

This article is based on publicly available statements and reports concerning the 81st United Nations General Assembly and the India-Pakistan diplomatic exchange on September 25-26, 2026. Information and quotations have been cross-referenced with reports from established third-party news organisations, including NDTV, Hindustan Times, India Today, PTI-linked reports and other publicly available sources. Statements attributed to India or Pakistan are presented as positions expressed by the respective governments or representatives and should not be treated as independently established facts unless separately verified.

Conclusion

India's response to Shehbaz Sharif's UN speech has once again highlighted the deep diplomatic divide between New Delhi and Islamabad over terrorism, Kashmir, the 2025 conflict and the Indus Waters Treaty. With both countries maintaining sharply different positions, the latest UN exchange underscores how terrorism and regional security remain central issues in India-Pakistan relations.

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