India slams Pakistan over airstrikes in Afghanistan; calls it a ‘longstanding pattern’

New Delhi: India on Sunday issued a sharp condemnation of Pakistani airstrikes conducted on Afghan territory, describing the military action as a "longstanding pattern" by Islamabad to externalise its own internal failures.

In an official statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs, spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal expressed strong disapproval of the pre-dawn strikes on Saturday, which targeted areas in Nangarhar and Paktika provinces. According to Afghan officials and independent human rights monitors, the bombardment resulted in dozens of civilian casualties, including at least 11 children. New Delhi highlighted that the timing of the strikes was particularly egregious, occurring during the holy month of Ramadan.

The Indian government characterised the incident as part of a recurring strategy where Pakistan seeks to divert attention from domestic security challenges through cross-border aggression. India reaffirmed its unwavering support for Afghanistan's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence.

Tensions in the region have escalated sharply following the strikes, which Islamabad defended as intelligence-based operations against hideouts of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and ISIS-K. The Afghan Ministry of Defence has called the attacks a "criminal act" and warned of a "calculated" response. The diplomatic alignment between New Delhi and Kabul underscores a growing regional isolation for Pakistan as border skirmishes continue despite a fragile ceasefire mediated late last year.