India-Pakistan News Live updates: 'India peace-loving country, but will respond firmly to provocation': Anurag Thakur

As part of its efforts to bolster local security and strengthen community defense mechanisms, Army’s Tiger Division is conducting training of 100 Village Defence Guards (VDGs) here, a defence spokesperson said on Wednesday.

The training is taking place at police firing range at Sunjuwan and is focused on enhancing the operational capabilities of VDG members and strengthen their coordination with security forces, the spokesperson said.

He said the VDG personnel are trained on firing, basic weapon handling, tactical drills and security protocols, under the supervision of experienced Army Instructors.

The aim of the training was to empower local volunteers to act as a strong support to regular security forces in sensitive areas, and to respond effectively in times of emergency, the spokesperson said.

He said the initiative reaffirms the Army’s commitment to engage with local population and foster a sense of safety and self-reliance through structured capacity-building efforts.

India has lodged strong objections to any proposed financial support by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to Pakistan, expressing serious concerns over the potential misuse of development funds for military purposes and Islamabad’s lack of commitment to meaningful economic reforms.

Congress leader Pawan Khera on Wednesday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the US President's claim of mediating between New Delhi and Islamabad for the cessation of hostilities during Operation Sindoor.

Taking a veiled dig, the Congress leader said, "The truth of this person is - 'Naam Narender, kaam surrender.'"

"Their organisation's history is that of cowardice, and when a person like this heads the country, then the country's future lies in danger. In the last 22 days, the US President has said over 12 times that he used the trade threat to strike a ceasefire. In the past few days, have you heard anything from the PM?" he said, addressing a press briefing.

"Desh ki mann ki baat hai ki ceasefire kaise hua. Why did Donald Trump announce the ceasefire? The country was insulted when Donald Trump announced the ceasefire. The country was insulted the day when Donald Trump said that he would mediate on the Kashmir issue," Khera added.

On a day that the Indian all-party delegation led by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor arrived in Washington, DC as part of the global outreach on Operation Sindoor, Pakistan's copycat delegation led by Bilawal Bhutto was in New York to try to push its case.

Bhutto, who served as the Foreign Minister earlier, addressed a briefing at the UN Headquarters in New York and sought reconciliation with India, making a plea for talks and Intel sharing between the two neighbours.

"Pakistan would still like to cooperate with India to combat terrorism. We can't leave the fate of 1.5 billion, 1.7 billion people in the hands of non-state actors and terrorists," he said. "For them to decide, at a whim, that (when these) two nuclear-armed powers will go to war."

All-party delegation member and Congress MP Manish Tewari said on Wednesday that it is for the first time that the story of Pakistan's crimes has been told so comprehensively.

Tewari, who is a part of the delegation led by NCP-SCP MP Supriya Sule, also said that India has been a victim of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism for decades now.

"The litany of Pakistan's crimes is endless, and I think for the first time, this story has been comprehensively and holistically told by our delegation to our interlocutors," he said.

He added, "India has been successfully able to tell the story to the world that we have been victims of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism now for 45 years. It is not the unfortunate tragedy in Pahalgam alone whose fingerprints lead all the way back to Pakistan."

Tewari pointed out at Pakistan's hypocrisy that it sucked money out of the US to fund terror against the US through Osama Bin Laden.

"A state which could suck money out of the global collation against terror led by the USA and shelter, the biggest enemy of the USA (Osama bin Laden) and someone who is being hunted by the entire world, is the greatest testimony to Pakistan's doublespeak," Tewari.

Tewari added that if Pakistan continues with its military activities, India will respond and will not give in to nuclear blackmail.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Anurag Thakur, who is part of the all-party delegation led by Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) or NCP SP MP Supriya Sule, reaffirmed India's commitment to peace and issued a stern warning that any provocation or threat to the nation's security will be met with firm and decisive action.

He emphasised that while India stands as a peace-loving nation, it will not hesitate to act decisively if its sovereignty or the safety of its citizens is threatened.

"The safety of 140 crore Indians and the security of our country's borders is our utmost priority. We have delivered a clear message to the world that India will take every step necessary to safeguard its citizens, its unity, and its territorial integrity," Anurag Thakur told ANI.

Reiterating India's long-standing stance of non-aggression, Thakur stated, "We never attack anyone. We are a peace-loving country, but we will not remain quiet if someone disturbs that peace."

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to immediately convene a special session of Parliament to brief the nation on Operation Sindhur and the recent ceasefire decision.

Demands full disclosure on military operation

In his letter, Singh emphasized the need for transparency and parliamentary oversight, calling Operation Sindhur a matter of national importance. “The country deserves to know the objectives, outcomes, and implications of this operation,” he stated.

Calls ceasefire a turning point

Singh also sought clarity on the government's decision to agree to a ceasefire, describing it as a turning point that requires a detailed explanation. “What led to the ceasefire and what are its terms? Parliament must be informed,” he said.

Push for accountability and debate

The AAP leader argued that bypassing Parliament on such a significant matter sets a worrying precedent. He urged the Prime Minister to ensure that all political parties are taken into confidence and given the opportunity to discuss the issue in the House.

An all-party parliamentary delegation from India, led by BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad, concluded its UK visit on Tuesday with a strong message: the international community must hold Pakistan accountable for financing terrorism under the guise of foreign aid.

Speaking at a press conference at India House in London, Prasad described terrorism as a “cancer” and called for a deeper probe into whether funds provided to Pakistan by institutions like the IMF and World Bank are being misused for arms and terror infrastructure rather than public welfare.

BJP leader Rekha Sharma on Monday said the party’s international outreach under 'Operation Sindoor' received a strong and positive response in four countries, where delegates countered “false narratives” spread by Pakistan and highlighted India’s focus on peace and development.

“The overall experience was very positive. We visited four countries, and the points made by our leader, Baijayant Jay Panda, were taken very seriously,” Sharma said in Delhi, following the party’s outreach tour.

According to Sharma, the team visited Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Algeria, where they engaged with Indian diaspora groups, local officials, and civil society leaders. “When we presented facts and spoke assertively, it became clear to them that Pakistan was spreading lies,” she added.

The all-party parliamentary delegation led by JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha arrived in Delhi on Tuesday after concluding a multi-nation visit aimed at bolstering international support against cross-border terrorism.

The delegation visited Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, and Indonesia as part of a global outreach initiative. This diplomatic outreach follows Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7 as a decisive military response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists, which claimed 26 lives.

Speaking to reporters upon arrival, Sanjay Jha said, "The message to send an all-party delegation was that the whole country is united on the issue of terrorism. Everybody spoke in one voice against it and condemned the Pahalgam incident. The way India attacked the terrorist hideouts with precision and did not harm the common citizens was appreciated and praised. We urged that action should be taken against Pakistan by the FATF (Financial Action Task Force). The delegations have sent out a strong message against terror."

CPI-M MP Dr John Brittas also spoke to mediapersons and echoed similar sentiments, stating, "It was supposed to be very comprehensive discussions we had with the different sections of people in 5 countries, and we could successfully underscore the stand of India. India is a victim of terror, and Pakistan is a perpetrator... All these meetings turned out to be very successful."

Speaking to reporters, BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi said, "It was heartening to find that everybody appreciated the stand of India on cross-border terrorism and they all came forward to denounce the approach of Pakistan as far as creating unrest in India is concerned, as far as the killing of innocent people is concerned. Everybody agreed to the fact that Pakistan nourishes, nurtures and promotes terrorism."

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Ravi Shankar Prasad, who led an all-party delegation to the United Kingdom, called for a unified global stance against terrorism and said that Pakistan must be held accountable for its actions. He said that the world needs to speak as far as terrorism is concerned and noted that no country is free from it.

In his opening statement during media interaction in the UK on Tuesday, Prasad stated that terrorism is against democracy, civilised existence and human rights. He even questioned the release of international funding without accountability and mentioned that Pakistan has taken loans from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) 25 times.

He said, "Our message is very simple. Terrorism is against democracy, civilised existence, human rights, and basic norms of a good human existence. It is high time the world spoke as far as this terrorism is concerned. No country is free, and any country that is presently free cannot be free subsequently. That is the purpose of our visit."

"A collective effort should be there, Pakistan should be made to pay a cost. Why should so much of international funding is there without accountability. Where is the money going? Is it going to purchase weapons or alleviate poverty? These are relevant questions. Pakistan, I understand, has taken out 25 loans from the IMF. That is the message. I repeat, we have nothing against the people of Pakistan. Our commitment to peace and amity is impeccable. We are equally clear that India, a big sovereign country, has the right to save its citizens from terrorism," he added.

He also drew parallels between India and Pakistan in terms of development and highlighted India's economic and digital sectors growth.