00:00India remains deeply concerned about the persistent threat posed by cross-border terrorism which continues to undermine regional peace and
00:06stability.
00:06It is ironic that Pakistan, with its long-tainted record of genocidal acts, has chosen to refer to issues that
00:13are strictly internal to India.
00:14Thank you, Mr. President. We congratulate China on assuming the UNSC presidency for this month.
00:20And also welcome convening this annual open debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflict.
00:26We thank the Secretary General for his report and the briefers for their insightful remarks this morning.
00:32India reaffirms its strong commitment to the UN Charter and stresses that protecting civilians at all times, including conflict situations,
00:39is a central element of maintenance of international peace and security.
00:44In 2025, recorded civilian deaths across 20 armed conflicts was more than 37,000.
00:50Although this is the first decline after three years of steady increase, the numbers are still high.
00:56Continued civilian casualties, displacement, destruction of critical infrastructure and attacks on hospitals, schools, medical personnel and humanitarian workers remain deeply
01:06concerning.
01:08India calls for zero tolerance to the loss of civilian lives.
01:12Parties to armed conflict must ensure safe and unhindered humanitarian access while respecting international humanitarian law.
01:19Even a decade after adoption of UNSC resolution 2286, repeated attacks on civilian facilities and humanitarian workers reflect a serious
01:29erosion of respect for international humanitarian law.
01:32India reiterates that medical personnel and humanitarian workers must be protected at all times.
01:38Mr. President, as highlighted in UNSG's report, the use of missiles, bombs and other explosive weapons in cities and populated
01:46areas remain a major cause of civilian harm.
01:50The growing trend of use of drones to deploy explosive weapons in urban areas is especially concerning.
01:57The use of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and autonomous systems by parties to conflict, must be in conformity with
02:04international law and humanitarian principles.
02:08Safeguards must be in place to prevent misuse and unintended harm to civilians.
02:13Protection of civilians cannot be achieved through humanitarian responses alone.
02:17The targeted use of violence against civilians to achieve political objectives, including terrorism, must be addressed comprehensively.
02:25India remains deeply concerned about the persistent threat posed by cross-border terrorism which continues to undermine regional peace, stability
02:32and the fundamental principles of international security.
02:36India has been a victim of such form of terrorism for decades.
02:40States as sponsor, shelter or support terrorism must be held accountable.
02:44India has consistently emphasized that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations remains one of the gravest threats to civilians
02:51worldwide.
02:52No cause or grievance can justify deliberate attacks against civilians.
02:57Mr. President, it is ironic that Pakistan, with its long-tainted record of genocidal acts, has chosen to refer to
03:04issues that are strictly internal to India.
03:06The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan has reported that in the first three months of 2026,
03:12750 civilian deaths and injuries were documented in Afghanistan as a result of cross-border armed violence perpetrated by Pakistani
03:20military forces,
03:21most of which occurred due to airstrikes.
03:23The UNAMH documentation attributed 94 of 95 incidents of civilian casualties to Pakistani security forces.
03:30The world has not forgotten that it was during the holy month of Ramadan in March this year, at a
03:34time of peace, reflection and mercy,
03:37that Pakistan conducted a barbaric airstrike on the Omid addiction treatment hospital in Kabul.
03:43Again, according to UNAMH, this cowardly and unconscionable act of violence claimed the lives of 269 civilians and injured a
03:50further 122 in a facility which can by no means be justified as a military target.
03:55It is hypocritical to espouse high principles of international law while targeting innocent civilians in the dark.
04:01The airstrikes of Pakistan occurred at the conclusion of Taravi evening prayers when numerous patients were leaving the masjid, as
04:07per UNAMH.
04:08It bears emphasis that the UN Secretary General called on member states to uphold their international obligations in relation to
04:14protection of civilians,
04:15including the principle of non-refoulement in the context of Afghanistan.
04:19Clearly, Pakistan has chosen to ignore this call completely.
04:23As per UNAMH, over 94,000 people were assessed as displaced due to cross-border armed violence perpetrated against Afghan
04:30civilians.
04:32But such heinous acts of aggression by Pakistan should not come as a surprise from a country that bombs its
04:36own people and conducts systematic genocide.
04:39During Operation Searchlight in 1971, Pakistan sanctioned the systematic campaign of genocidal mass rape of 400,000 women citizens by
04:47its own army.
04:47Such inhuman conduct reflects Pakistan's repeated attempts over decades to externalize internal failures through increasingly desperate acts of violence both
04:56within and beyond its borders.
04:58With no faith, no law and no morality, the world can see through Pakistan's propaganda.
05:02Mr. President, in conclusion, India reiterates that the protection of civilians must remain at the center of the Security Council's
05:09efforts to maintain international peace and security.
05:12The international community must collectively work to restore and ensure respect for international humanitarian law,
05:18strengthen accountability, ensure humanitarian access, protect medical care, responsibly govern emerging technologies,
05:25and thereby alleviate the suffering of civilians affected by armed conflict.
05:29I thank you, Mr. President.
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