India Slams Report Linking Pahalgam Attack to Myanmar at UN

“I seriously object to the unfounded and biased observations about my country contained in the report. I strongly condemn the biased approach adopted by the Special Rapporteur on the innocent civilian victims of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam in April 2025 from a biased social perspective,” MP Dilip Saikia said in a statement on Tuesday.

Saikia presented India’s statement on the human rights situation in Myanmar at an interactive dialogue at the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly.

India has strongly rejected the observations made by United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Thomas Andrews in his report on the human rights situation in Myanmar.

Referring to the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack, Andrews’ report said, “Following the terrorist attack on Hindu tourists in Jammu and Kashmir in April 2025, refugees from Myanmar were put under serious pressure in India, although no person from Myanmar was involved in the attack.”

“Refugees in India told the Special Rapporteur that they have been summoned, detained, interrogated and threatened with deportation by Indian authorities in recent months,” the Special Rapporteur’s report said.

Strictly criticizing this claim, Saikia said that the claim that the Pahalgam terror attack affected displaced persons from Myanmar has absolutely no factual basis.

“My country rejects such biased and blinkered analysis by the Special Rapporteur,” he said.

Saikia emphasized that India is seeing an alarming level of radicalization among the displaced persons, resulting in pressure and impact on the law and order situation.

“I also advise the SR (Special Rapporteur) not to trust unverified and distorted media reports whose sole purpose seems to be to denigrate my country, where people of all faiths live, including over 200 million Muslims who constitute approximately 10 percent of the world’s Muslim population,” Saikia said.

Saikia emphasized that India, as a close neighbour, continues to support all Myanmar-owned and Myanmar-led initiatives aimed at enhancing trust and advancing the Myanmar-led path towards peace, stability and democracy.

“We reiterate our consistent position calling for an immediate cessation of violence, the release of political prisoners, the unhindered provision of humanitarian aid and inclusive political dialogue. We firmly believe that sustainable peace can only be achieved through inclusive political dialogue and the early restoration of democratic processes through credible and participatory elections,” he said.

He noted that deteriorating security and humanitarian conditions remain a source of deep concern for India, particularly as these developments have cross-border implications for the country, including challenges posed by transnational crimes such as drug, arms and human trafficking.

Saikia noted that India has consistently emphasized a people-centered approach in its relations with Myanmar.

He said that after the earthquake in March 2025, India immediately launched Operation Brahma, sending over 1,000 metric tonnes of relief materials and deploying medical teams as first responders.

This builds on Delhi’s previous humanitarian initiatives, including Operation Sadbhav during Typhoon Yagi in 2024 and India’s ongoing assistance during previous natural disasters, he added.

The Special Rapporteur’s report also noted that in early May 2025, approximately 40 Rohingya refugees, including women and children, were detained in Delhi, flown to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands by Indian military aircraft, and transferred to an Indian Navy ship. It was also stated that Indian authorities deported a large number of Rohingya refugees to Bangladesh in May.

“The Special Rapporteur wrote to the government of India regarding these deportations and met with government officials who promised to report back after investigating these events. The Special Rapporteur continues to await this report,” the statement said.