Ministry of External Affairs Government of India

Official Spokesperson (Shri Vikas Swarup): Good evening friends and welcome to this press briefing.

We have the Foreign Secretary here with us who will brief you on the incidents along the border yesterday and today and how that squares with what happened at Ufa. With that, I give the floor to the Foreign Secretary.

Foreign Secretary: In the last two days, there has been firing on the LOC and the International Boundary between India and Pakistan. Officials of the two govern ments have been in contact as a consequence. Today, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry issued a statement on that subject. To give you a full and accurate picture of what has transpired, I am here to share details of these developments. In doing so, I will be responding to four specific issues that have been mentioned by the Pakistan Government:
(i) The incidents of 15 July
(ii) The incidents of 16 July
(iii) The allegation of downing an Indian drone by Pakistan
(iv) The allegation pertaining to an Indian helicopter manoeuvre close to the LOC

On 15th July, around 0850 hrs, Pakistani Rangers resorted to sniper fire in the Akhnoor sector in which one BSF personnel sustained injury. The fire originated from the Ranger’s post Khalid Muneer. This was followed by firing by flat trajectory weapons on our posts and then, in a different area, by mortar fire. Separately, also in Akhnoor, at about 1015 hrs, a mortar shell fell on our village Bhaiwal Bharth in which an inhabitant was killed and three others injured.

As per our procedures, DIG, BSF, in Jammu sought to make telephonic contact with Sector Commander Sialkot four times between 1045 hrs and 1230 hrs. He received no response.

Upon receiving this information, our National Security Advisor spoke to High Commissioner Raghavan in Islamabad at 1130 hrs asking him to take this up with the Pakistani Government. We sought an end to firing as well as corrective steps on their part. Immediately thereafter, NSA spoke to High Commissioner Abdul Basit on similar lines in New Delhi.

There was no response from the Pakistani Government to our demarche. Instead, intermittent firing continued in the Akhnoor sector till 1615 hrs. Therefore, at 1700 hrs, NSA again spoke to both our High Commissioner who had taken this matter up with the Pakistani Foreign Secretary immediately and with High Commissioner Basit.

At 1730 hrs, yesterday, High Commissioner Basit finally got back to NSA conveying that the firing had been initiated by India and that an Indian drone had been brought down by Pakistan. The Pakistani Foreign Secretary spoke on similar lines when High Commissioner Raghavan contacted him again at that time. NSA naturally enquired of High Commissioner Basit why, in that case, the conversations were not initiated by the Pakistani side. He offered to check the drone allegation but pointed out that this was unrelated to maintaining peace and tranquillity on the border. He emphasised the seriousness of the unprovoked firing by Pakistan and conveyed that we would retaliate if it continued. Accordingly, yesterday night, our forces retaliated. This morning, High Commissioner Basit spoke to NSA mentioning that there had been casualties and damage on the Pakistani side.

On 16th July, at 0135 hrs, there was an infiltration attempt by three suspected terrorists in the Jammu sector at Indreshwar Nagar. They were given covering fire by Pakistani post Jamshed. As our forces retaliated, the exchange of fire expanded to include some nearby posts. The Pakistani side also resorted to mortar firing which was responded to effectively by us.

In view of this firing which continued into the morning, I instructed our High Commissioner in Islamabad at 0815 hrs to urgently speak to the Pakistani Foreign Secretary. I myself also had a conversation with High Commissioner Basit at 0840 hrs.

Our High Commissioner in Islamabad had a meeting with the Pakistani Foreign Secretary at 0915 hrs. This meeting was requested by the Pakistani side yesterday evening, presumably in response to the day’s developments. The Pakistani Foreign Secretary handed over a note verbale that refers to developments of 15 July that were raised by the Indian side the same day. He also orally brought up the morning’s exchange of fire. Through the note, the Pakistani Government has now sought to shift responsibility for the firing on the Indian side. Two additional issues were also raised.

One pertains to the alleged downing of a drone, purportedly from India. The photograph of the drone in question indicates that it is not of Indian design, nor of any UAV category held in the inventory of the Indian armed forces. It appears to be of Chinese design, and is commercially available off the shelf.

Insofar as the allegation of helicopter manoeuvre is concerned, this was already taken up and settled through an exchange of hotline messages between local formation Commanders at Tithwal on 12-13 July. The helicopter flight was in connection with a counter-terrorism operation in which three terrorists were neutralised. The Pakistani side raised the issue of our helicopter flight and we had clarified that it was well within the mutually accepted distances from the LOC in India. That the Pakistani Government four days later is raising a controversy on a settled issue speaks for itself.

At Ufa, when the Prime Ministers of the two countries met on 10th July, it was agreed that the DG, BSF and DG, Pakistan Rangers would meet. It was also agreed that our DGMOs would meet thereafter. We remain committed to steps that contribute to ensuring peace and tranquillity on the border. However, there should be no doubt that any unprovoked firing from the Pakistani side would meet with an effective and forceful response from our forces. Nor will we let down our guard against infiltration and cross-border terrorism.

Thank you for your attention. I will be happy to take questions.

Official Spokesperson: Foreign Secretary does not have too much time, he has to go for another meeting. So, please keep your questions very short, and no supplementaries.

Question: Foreign Secretary, jab is tarah se Ufa ke talks ke baad lagaatar Pakistan ke taraf se cross-border firing, galat aarop Bharat par, aap keh rahe hain ki Bharat committed hai baat-cheet ke liye. NSA level ki talks aise mahaul mein ho payengi jab ki aap hi khul kar keh rahe hain ki cross-border firing nahin ruki toh Bharat retaliate karega? Aise mein baat-cheet ka scope kahan hai, aur kya hogi, aur prepone karne ka koi gunjayish hai kya NSA level talks?

Foreign Secretary: NSA-level talks abhi tak tai nahin huye; NSA-level talks hongi vo tai hua hai. So, the question does not arise. What is our position is very clear which is, we remain committed to steps that contribute to peace and tranquillity on the border; but if there is unprovoked firing, if there is infiltration, if there is cross-border terrorism, there would be a response.

Question: One of the …(Inaudible)… that were also agreed upon in Ufa was that the DG, BSF and DG, Pakistan Rangers, and DGMOs would meet. At a time when again the hostility and the tensions seem to be rising along LOC and IB, is this not the appropriate time then to have such a meeting, if at all that may take place?

Foreign Secretary: Well, thank you for that opinion. I think in our case what will happen in the next few days, I really do not want to predict. I am here today to really explain to you the sequence of events and give you the details so that all of you have a clear picture because my sense is that there were different parts of it which were coming out and we think it is in fairness we should give you a very fair and transparent account of what has been happening.

Question: We were there in Ufa and the talks were very positive. We were also surprised how the Foreign Secretaries of the two countries came together. What happened? Why Pakistan, after such good talks and such a good Joint Statement came, thereafter such nuisance is being created? Was there any pressure on Pakistani side for this?

Foreign Secretary: I do not think it would be fair on my part to speculate. My only purpose in coming here is to give you a very straight account of what has happened on the border. Why someone opened fire on us is something really for which they are answerable.

Question: What is the assessment about why this is happening particularly after the agreement in Ufa? Is there a sense that the Pakistani Army is putting pressure on the Government there?

Foreign Secretary: Again, these are not avenues that we can go down; it is not for us to speculate or to try to analyse other people’s motivations and thinking. I can only share with you the facts on the ground; and the facts on the ground are exactly what I have put before you.

Question: Foreign Secretary, one quick clarification. You said it is the NSA who spoke to High Commissioner Basit. You have not spoken to him at any point?

Foreign Secretary: No, NSA spoke to High Commissioner Basit yesterday twice and this morning once; I spoke to High Commissioner Basit in the morning once.

Question: The fact that the National Security Advisor of our country spoke to the High Commissioner once in the morning, had to remind him again, and then the firing at the LOC continued, is this not a very serious upscaling of violence compared to even the last few weeks?

Foreign Secretary: The nature of the firing was serious which is why the conversations took place and which is why we took the responses that we did. So, I think I really would not question your question.

Question: Can you tell us when and where the National Security Advisors are going to meet?

Foreign Secretary: It has not been decided when. What was agreed to in Ufa was that they were to meet in Delhi.

Question: You have said that if there is firing, if there is infiltration, there would be a response. Can you clarify what kind of response? These words are yours. Can you indicate what kind of response you are considering?

Foreign Secretary: Not really. Not really means, not really would I like to specify to you.

Question: What are the options?

Foreign Secretary: That is not something I would discuss at a press conference.

Question: India-Pakistan relationship really seems to be going one step forward and two steps backward. Do you think this is a setback for India-Pakistan relationship that was …(Inaudible)…

Foreign Secretary: Let me make this very clear. As one of your own colleagues said just now, there was a very positive meeting in Ufa, there were outcomes of Ufa, it was just a few days ago; and we remain committed to doing whatever is necessary to ensure peace and tranquillity on the border. And as I pointed out, there were understandings for DG, BSF and DG, Pak Rangers and the DGMOs to meet. So, we remain committed to that.

Question: Do you think that these talks are possible in this atmosphere?

Foreign Secretary: I think my statement made it very clear that if the intention or the inclination is to strengthen peace and tranquillity on the border and do the meetings that we have agreed to do, we remain committed to that. If on the other hand there is unprovoked firing and there is infiltration and cross-border terrorism, then obviously the situation is different. So, that choice is not ours.

Question: You just mentioned that this drone which the Pakistani side assume to be an Indian drone they shot down appears to have been of Chinese design and commercially available off the shelf. Can you just elaborate on this what you really want to say? And there have also been reports that this was a Chinese drone which was being operated by the Pakistani Punjab Police and the Pakistan Army was not aware of the drill and they shot it down. So, is that what you are trying to say actually?

Foreign Secretary: I cannot say very much because we have limited information. I think we have seen pictures of this drone which have been put out. Looking at those pictures, whatever are the comments we are able to make at this stage we have made, which is namely that it is not a drone of Indian design, it is not a kind of drone that we have in the inventory of the Indian armed forces, plus it looks like an off the shelf Chinese designed drone. That is as much as I can say. Beyond that I cannot draw more conclusions than that on the basis of a photograph that we have seen.

Question: Prime Minister Modi accepted an invitation to visit Pakistan next year. Do these various tensions derail those plans, will they affect those plans?

Foreign Secretary: At the moment we are hoping to see a return of peace and tranquility to the border. That is the focus of what we are looking at. I would not go that far into the future at this point of time.

Question: There was a format that was discussed and the outcome that we saw at Ufa that is NSAs to meet, DGMOs to meet, and DG BSF to meet. In the meeting that took place today, the review meeting, was there a discussion or decision on whether NSAs will be meeting earlier or would it be wiser for the DGMOs to meet before the NSAs’ meet? Is military to military exchange more important or DG, BSF meeting more important before the NSAs meet?

Foreign Secretary: I think all the discussions on this subject within the Government today have focused largely on how we are responding to a situation and what in a sense do we communicate in terms of our position. It is limited to that.

Question: Normally the two DGMOs talk to each other every Tuesday. Did they have any conversation?

Foreign Secretary: I really do not have information on that. I would check up and request Vikas to give you that information.

Question: Do you think the developments over the last 34 hours are a set back to the Ufa Declaration?

Official Spokesperson: He has already answered that question.

Foreign Secretary: At the moment the issue for us is stabilising the border, making very clear our position, our willingness to work with the Pakistani side on strengthening peace and stability as well as on determination to protect our sovereignty and security.

Question: Foreign Secretary, …(Inaudible)…. lekin is mahaul mein is tarah ki sthiti paida hui hai. Kya aap ko lagta hai ki sirf infiltration ke liye sab kuchh ho raha hai ya kuchh aur bhi aapko dikhayi de raha hai?

Foreign Secretary: Main ne kaha na ki jo dusron ke mann mein hai mujhe speculate karna theek nahin hai. Aapko voh prashn unse poochhna chahiye.

Question: In the meeting with the Indian High Commissioner did Pakistan give any evidence about the alleged shooting down of that drone?

Foreign Secretary: My understanding of that meeting was that the issue came up and our High Commissioner said that if there were details, we would be happy to look at it. I am not aware of any subsequent development to this meeting. This meeting took place around 0915 hours in the morning today.

Question: Does this indicate that the Ufa Declaration was ineffective to bridge the trust deficit between the two countries?

Foreign Secretary: What came out of Ufa was in a sense, shall I say, an outcome of a meeting between the two Prime Ministers. It cannot be anybody’s case that the two Prime Ministers should not meet or that when they meet they should not have a positive conversation. And obviously if they have a positive conversation, then it would be reflected and reported positively. But our point is that while at Ufa there were understandings, it was not that in Ufa people were not unaware of the problems. It was precisely because there were ongoing issues that we had an agreement that the DG, BSF and Pak Rangers would meet, that the DGMOs would meet. So, the issues were there. The issues were there and in Ufa some suggestions were discussed and agreed upon on how to go forward. So, the problem right now is that in the last two days the situation on the border has worsened, some unprovoked actions took place, they met with the right response from our side. So, we will then have to see what happens after that.

Question: Is India satisfied with the response of Pakistan? Can one conclude that India is satisfied and that is why India is going again going with Ufa commitment?

Foreign Secretary: I am a little perplexed by your question. When you say we are satisfied with the Pakistan, in response to what?

Question: …(Inaudible)…

Foreign Secretary: I think somewhere perhaps I have not made myself clear. Yesterday we had communicated our concern on what was happening. We had indicated that in case the firing continued there would be retaliatory response; there was a retaliatory response.

Question: We are saying that we will maintain peace and tranquility on the border but in past the firing has scaled up. From small arms now we are firing mortars from our side and targets are also chosen. Earlier they were targeting security installations, now they are targeting civilian villages and others. Can you refer to what kind of response we are expecting from the Indian Army?

Foreign Secretary: I think those have been the substance of my remarks, which is that if there is unprovoked firing, if there is infiltration, if there is cross-border terrorism, then we will take whatever steps we need to counter that. And what I am here to tell you is that what has been happening in the last two days is exactly that, and that there has been a response from our side abundantly.

Question: Seema par jo incidents ho rahe hain usko dekhkar kya aapko yeh lagta hai ki jaisi karravayi Myanmar mein ki gayi thi kya aisi karravayi hum POK mein kar sakte hain?

Foreign Secretary: What is happening on the western border, I do not see any connection with what happened along the India-Myanmar border.

Question: You said initially that in the helicopter operation three terrorists were neutralised. Have you identified them and what are you doing with them?

Foreign Secretary: I am not completely sure of the factual position on that. So, I really do not want to say something that would mislead you. It is possible that we have identified them. Again, since I do not have a ready answer, if I can get you one I will be happy to share.

Official Spokesperson: Foreign Secretary has to leave now. So, I think we will have to keep it at that. Thank you.

(Concluded)