Ministry of External Affairs Government of India

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: Good evening friends, welcome to the weekly media briefing. I will begin with an announcement on Operation Sankat Mochan.

Operation Sankat Mochan, which began at the crack of dawn today is now successfully underway. Two C-17 Globemaster Aircrafts of the Indian Air Force left for Juba at 5:00 am and 7:00 am from Delhi. On board were Gen. V K Singh, Minister of State for External Affairs, Shri Amar Sinha, Secretary ER, Shri Satbir Singh, Jt. Secretary WANA, (West Asia and North Africa) and other officials. The first flight has already landed in Juba and second flight will be landing in the next ten minutes.

The aim is to evacuate all the Indian nationals who have expressed their interest in leaving South Sudan. The evacuation has been meticulously planned in coordination with the local authorities as well as the support of the Indian Peacekeeping Contingent in the UNMISS, which is the United Nations Mission In South Sudan.

Soon after landing, Gen V K Singh met with the Foreign Minister of South Sudan Mr. Deng Alor Kuol. He also met Vice President Mr. James Wani Igga.

The first aircraft is scheduled to depart from Juba very shortly. Both aircrafts will first travel to Entebbe in Uganda for a refueling halt of approximately three hours. From Entebbe they will depart for India, first landing in Thiruvananthapuram, early tomorrow morning and thereafter coming to Delhi.

This entire operation has been conducted under the direct supervision of the External Affairs Minister, Smt. Sushma Swaraj, who has formed a high level task force to monitor the situation is South Sudan, which has deteriorated in the last few days.

In our assessment, this was an opportune time to arrange for the evacuations, especially since the cease-fire is holding and there is a lull in the hostilities. Operation Sankat Mochan has underscored once again the government’s pro-active approach towards helping Indians in distress anywhere in the world.

That is my only announcement, the floor is now open to questions.

Question: Sir, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is convening a cabinet meeting on Kashmir. Their Foreign Office is briefing P5 countries. How do you react to this effort of Pakistan to Internationalize the Kashmir Issue and in this backdrop do you see any likelihood of Foreign Secretary visit to Pakistan in near future or far future or any future?

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: Look, I will say that I will characterize this as a self-serving exercise for narrow political ends and let me make three, very clear points.

First, terrorism is terrorism. No amount of parsing or justification on the part of Pakistan is going to change that.

Second, our internal affairs are solely ours to handle. Any effort by any other party claiming it as theirs or trying to interfere and seeking to internationalize the issue will not change that reality.

And thirdly, the world today has a very clear view on which country in our region covets the territory of others, uses terrorism as an instrument of State Policy, provides sanctuary to UN designated terrorists and terrorist groups and violates human rights.

In so far as the prospects of dialogue with Pakistan in concerned, let me reiterate, India has never shied away from dialogue with Pakistan, however it is incumbent upon Pakistan to create the right atmosphere for a productive dialogue to take place, because as we have repeated on innumerable occasions in the past, talks and terror cannot go hand-in-hand.

Question: Pakistan Foreign Secretary had summoned our High Commissioner in Islamabad. So do we also plan to call Mr. Basit and had a talk with him?

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: Yes, our High Commissioner was summoned to the Pak Foreign Office on the 11th of July. A demarche was made on him on the situation in the Indian State of Jammu & Kashmir. Our High Commissioner had responded that the matter is a domestic issue, internal to India, that Pakistan had no locus-standi in the matter. Our High Commissioner had also stated that India rejects the demarche. For the same reason that this is a domestic issue internal to India, we see no reason to involve Pakistan which has no locus-standi in the matter.

Question: There was a report published today suggesting that India will provide evidence to Pakistan to show that Burhan Wani’s killing was not extra-judicial. Are there any truths in this report?

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: I think I have already answered that question in response to the previous question. This is a matter internal to India, Pakistan has no locus-standi and we see no reason to involve Pakistan in this issue.

Question: Sir, you have seen reports on Times Now on two most wanted terrorists i.e. Hafiz Saeed and Syyed Salauddin holding this meeting in Mujaffarabad. Thereafter Hafiz Saeed also had a meeting in Lahore, day before yesterday, and also in Islamabad. Now he has called a nation-wide protest, again anti-India rhetoric on Friday as well. How does India see this? Also the Prime Minister was briefed by Foreign Secretary recently on the developments taking shape. So does India believe that there are elements within Pakistan fuelling the trouble in Kashmir that has been seen in the recent days?

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: Well, we have also answered this question before that these incidents show Pakistan’s continued attachment to terrorism and to giving sanctuary to UN designated terrorists and elements whose only job is to foment violence and intimidation and terrorism and it is incumbent upon Pakistan to rein-in such elements because if there has to be a durable peace, then obviously such elements would have to be controlled.

Question: Sir, Burhan Wani ko maare jane ke baad Kashmir mein halat bigde they toh Prime Minister ne bhi iss baat ko lekar chinta jatai thi ki ek aadami jis par kai saare terror cases aur doosare cases hain, usko kaise hero ke taur par pesh kiya jaye. Aakhir Bharat ke pass Burhan Wani ke khilaaf kis tarah ke cases hain, kya details hain ki woh kis tarah ke criminal records wala aadami tha?

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: Mere khayal se unke khilaaf kai tarah ke criminal cases hain, lekin unka poora byora aapko Gruh Mantralay de sakta hai, Videsh Mantralay nahin de sakta, kyonki yah Gruh Mantralay ka masla hai, Videsh Mantralay ka masla nahin hai.

Question: Sir, Jaise ki aapne abhi Sudan mein rescue ke baare mein bataya hai, isse pehle Videsh Mantralay ne Yemen mein bahut achhha kaam kiya tha. Pichhle do saal mein Videsh Mantralay jitni teji se iss tarah ke kaam kar raha hai, iss se pehle kabhi uski teji nazar nahin aayi. Kya karan hai ki pichhale do salon mein Videsh Mantralay ne kaafi teji se kaam kiya hai?

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: Dekhiye yeh Sarkar jo hai woh teji se kaary karne mein vishwas rakhti hai, Teji se kaary ho rahe hain. Question: I was just curious to find out if any Muslim/Islamic country has taken up this issue with India about the violence in Kashmir, apart from Pakistan?

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: No. We have just seen the statement by OIC, some special repertoire has just made a statement on the situation in Jammu & Kashmir. Our response is what we have been saying in the past. They have no locus-standi in the matter. We do not need gratuitous advice from anyone.

Question: No mission in Delhi has taken up the issue?

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: No.

Question: South China Sea ko lekar jo faisla aaya hai, us par China ne apne paksh ko saaf kar diya hai. Bharat ka us par kya stand hai aur Japan ke Rakshamantri Bharat mein hain to kya unse bhi kuch baatcheet hui hai, Bharat ke Rakshamantri se?

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: Dekhiye jahan tak Japan ke Rakshamantri ke Bharat mein aagman ka prashn hai toh Raksha Mantralay hi aapko uski soochna de sakte hain, ki kis tarah ki unki meetings hain, kis tarah ke discussions honge, yeh toh Raksha Mantralay ka kshetra hai toh unse hi aap jaankaari leejiye. Jahan tak South China sea par jo arbitral award aaya hai, uska prashn hai, uspe 12 July ko main ek comprehensive vyaktavya de diya hai aur uske alawa mujhe aur kuch nahi kahna hai us par.

Question: Has the Foreign Ministry discerned any change in Pakistan’s strategy vis-à-vis Kashmir? That was about training the terrorists and everything, now we have seen a trend where all the terrorists are mostly Kashmir home-bred terrorists, as we call them. Do you think there have been a certain change in Pakistan’s strategy?

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: No, I think this has been part of the continuing strategy of Pakistan. Not only are they infiltrating terrorists from across the border but they have also been fanning discontent or whatever you may call it, within the valley by providing various support to terrorist outfits.

Question: After this Bangladesh massacre, is there any possibility of any joint mechanism on counter-terrorism in any formal ways?

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: The Hon’ble President, Prime Minister and External Affairs Minister had condemn the terrorist attack at the Holy Artisan Restaurant in Dhaka on 1st of July as well as the terrorist attack which took place during the Eid congregation at Sholakia, Kishoreganj on July 07 in strong terms and had conveyed heart-felt empathy and condolences to those who lost their loved-ones and wish those injured a speedy recovery.

After the July 01 terror attack, External Affairs Minister had conveyed to the Foreign Minister of Bangladesh that India stands firmly with Bangladesh in this hour of grief and will work shoulder-to-shoulder with the government of Bangladesh against terrorism and protect our societies from the threat of ideologies of violence, hate and terror. EAM had also mentioned about the need to adopt zero-tolerance policy and a comprehensive approach in fighting terrorism at all levels. As you know we have an ongoing dialogue with Bangladesh on all security related issues, but no specific request has come from Bangladesh after the July 01 terrorist attack.

Question: Again on the South China Sea issue. China has rubbished the award by Arbitral Tribunal and said that it is not going to honor it and it’s also being reported that has announced some unilateral actions. So what is Government of India’s response to any possible unilateral action by China?

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: The authority of Annex VII Tribunal and its award is recognized in Part XV of the UNCLOS itself. India’s own record in this regard is also well known, I don’t have to dwell on that. As far as the second part of your question is concerned about some unilateral actions being taken etc. I would refer you once again to the comprehensive statement that we issued on the 12th of July.

Question: Vikas, we know that in the past High Commissioner of Pakistan has engaged the separatists, the Hurriyat leaders. Now Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has also spoken with Mir Waiz, Umar Farrukh and also expressed condolence and solidarity. Reaction of Indian government with political leadership of Pakistan engaging separatists.

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: Well, our position is very well known. India is prepared to discuss all outstanding issues including Jammu & Kashmir with Pakistan, but there are only two parties to this dialogue i.e. India and Pakistan. Thirdly, the talks and terror cannot go hand-in-hand. These are the three corner stones of our policy vis-à-vis Pakistan, we stand by that.

Question: This morning the Chinese envoy in Delhi said that there is a lot of similarity between the China’s position on the verdict on South-China Sea and the statement that India had issued on South-China Sea, because you are not really very strongly contesting the Chinese position. You are focusing on the international law, UNCLOS and etc. Is there a similarity between the two or are you really pointing out that….

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: Look for us this is not an issue of being in favor or against any particular country, it is about the use of the global commons. It is not a matter of politics, it is a matter of law. Ours is a principled position deriving from India being a State Party to the United Nations Law on the Convention of the Sea. As a State Party we believe that all parties should show utmost respect to the UNCLOS, which established the international legal order of the seas and oceans.

Question: Jis tareeke se yeh 1500 passport atankwaadi gatividhiyon mei shamil logon ke jo nirast kiye ja rahe hain, jo soochna aai hai Videsh Mantralay ke pass, Gruh Mantralay ke dwara.

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: Ye soochna mere pass nahin hai, aapne abhi kya kaha ki 1500 logon ke passport jabt kiye ja rahe hain?

Question: Radd karne ki baat chal rah hai, is baare mei khabarein chal rahi hain to kya ye satya hai, aur yadi yah satya hai toh abhi haal hi mein Videsh Mantralay ne Passport verification ke liye naya notification nikala hai ki Police verification baad mein hoga. Toh kya aap samjhate nahin hain ki is tarah se bhi passport ban jayenge, jaise aatankwaadi is yojna ka laabh utha ke without police verification passport ko use kar le toh Videsh Mantralay ka is or dhyan hai? Aur ye jo 1500 passport hain inke baare mein kya?

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: Dekhiye pehle baat to aapko ye samajhani chahiye ki Videsh Mantralay koi investigative agency to hai nahin. Videsh Mantralay Passport Act ko administer karti hai, lekin yadi desh ki koi investigative agency, law enforcement agency, humko koi soochna deti hai ki falan shaksh jinka passport number yeh hai, woh criminal gatividhiyon mein sanlagn hain ya unke khilaaf koi warrant hai aur humse anurodh karti hai ki unka passport withdraw kiya jaye, to Passport Adhiniyam ke antargat jo kanoon hain ki aap pehle show-cause notice dete hain aur agar unka reply sahi nahi laga toh aap passport ko impound kar sakte hain ya revoke kar sakte hain. To usi prakriya ke tahat ye hoga, lekin ye kahna ki kyonki aisa ho raha hai toh fir jo aam janta hai unko inconvenience kiya jaye ki kisi ka passport hum na issue karein kyonki jo teen dastavej humne kahe hain, jinke aadhaar par aapka post-verification hoga aur aapko passport tatkal mil jayega who hain Aadhaar card, PAN card aur Voter Id card aur uske saath aapko ek affidavit dena hai. Hamein lagta hain ki yeh prakriya acchi hai aur aam janta ko bahut sahuliyat hogi is se aur isko chalna chahiye. Aur jaise ki passport issue ho sakta hai, usi tarah se radd bhi kiya ja sakta hai, revoke bhi kiya ja sakta hai. Yadi agar humein is tarah ki koi soochna aati hai toh fir passport act ke antargat jo prakriya hai us prakriya ko hum follow karte hain.

Question: 1500 passport radd karne ke baare mein?

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: Uspe mere pass koi jaankari nahi hai, main pata lagaunga iske baare mein.

Question: There was a statement from Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister that war like situation may develop in South China Sea. So in the light of this statement, how do you view the evolving security situation in South China Sea? Is it a matter of concern for India?

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: No, I have already mentioned this in my statement on the 12th of July, where I have said that India believes that state should resolve disputes through peaceful means, without threat or use of force and exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that could complicate or escalate disputes affecting peace and stability. You can’t have a more clear statement than that, that no unilateral actions should be taken which can further cause tensions in the area.

Question: Getting into the specifics a little bit. What is our position on China’s constant refrain that UNCLOS is not actually applicable in this case because this involves sovereignty issues?

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: You are not following my answers closely. I have already said that the authority of the Annex VII Tribunal and its award is recognized in the Part XV of the UNCLOS itself. So the answer is very much there.

Question: Sir, again there is a situation in the Nepal that political uncertainty is roping in the country and there has been no-confidence motion against the Prime Minister. So do you think that there is an impact on India’s relationship with Nepal and do you have any suggestion or any talk with the Nepalese…..

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: We believe these are internal political developments in Nepal and how can we comment on something which is internal to Nepal.

Question: Some families from Kerala have already complained and 21 persons are missing from the state and they might have joined the Islamic State and they went to Iraq and Syria through Tehran. Has the Foreign Ministry….

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: The Foreign Ministry does not has any information in this regard. I have also seen these reports. I think such matters are investigated by our security agencies and it would be best for you to get the information from Ministry of Home Affairs.

Question: When will be the next Indian-Sri Lankan Fishermen Coordination Committee meetings?

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: At the Ninth India Sri Lanka Joint Commission held in February 2016 in Colombo, both the Foreign Ministers had agreed to work towards a permanent solution to the fishermen issue. It was also agreed that the Sri Lankan Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development will be invited by his Indian counterpart, the Minister of Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare, to India for discussions to work towards a permanent solution on the fishermen issue. This approach was reiterated during the discussions between Prime Minister Modi and President Sirisena in May 2016. Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare has been advised to extend an invitation letter to the Sri Lankan Minister. So I expect when the Sri Lankan Fisheries Minister comes to India, both sides will engage in substantive discussions on this issue which both sides are very keen to find long term solution to.

Question: This is regarding Nepal again. Today K P Sharma Oli has directly said that India is behind the toppling of his government. So what is our position on that?

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: I have not seen that statement and even if there is such a statement, we categorically reject such a statement.

That takes care of it all. Thank you all.