Afghanistan-Pakistan issues should be resolved bilaterally, India has no role: Rajnath Singh

India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has reaffirmed New Delhi’s policy of non-interference amid rising tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan over security issues.

In an interview with Network18 Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi, Singh dismissed Pakistan’s allegations of Indian involvement in recent clashes, calling them “completely baseless and unsubstantiated.”

Singh emphasized that India’s foreign policy is rooted in peace and mutual respect. “We do not seek or encourage any kind of confrontation. We want peace in the world. We are in favour of peace. We will not provoke anyone or encourage conflict with anyone,” he said.

At the same time, he stressed India’s right to self-defense: “But if someone teases or provokes us, we will not spare them. We do not use crutches to defend our self-respect. We do it ourselves. We take decisions on our own and take required actions on our own.”

On the dispute between Afghanistan and Pakistan, Singh reiterated that the matter should be settled bilaterally through dialogue. “Whatever the issue, all the countries involved should sit down and settle it by negotiation,” he said.

Pakistani officials have consistently claimed that attacks in the country are organized by militants in Afghanistan, a claim that the Islamic Emirate denies.

Pakistan carried out attacks in Kabul and Paktika about a month ago, which led to deadly clashes between the two sides.

The two sides have held three rounds of talks, but the talks have been inconclusive.