The criticism comes amid continuing tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Pakistan has claimed that its military operations target militant groups operating from Afghan territory. Islamabad has repeatedly accused Afghanistan-based groups, especially the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and Islamic State-linked elements, of planning attacks inside Pakistan. Afghanistan, however, has rejected these allegations and accused Pakistan of targeting civilians. Afghan authorities have said such strikes violate Afghan sovereignty and international law. Reports have also highlighted civilian casualties, including women and children, following cross-border attacks. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan earlier reported civilian casualties from Pakistani strikes in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province. Such reports have increased international concern over the scale and impact of the conflict, especially as attacks in populated areas raise serious humanitarian questions. India’s intervention at the UN is significant because it places the Afghanistan-Pakistan conflict within a larger regional security debate. New Delhi has long accused Pakistan of using terrorism as an instrument of state policy, and its latest remarks suggest that India sees Pakistan’s actions in Afghanistan as part of a wider pattern of destabilising behaviour. India also contrasted Pakistan’s military actions with its own approach toward Afghanistan. New Delhi has maintained that it supports Afghanistan’s sovereignty, stability and development. India has previously provided humanitarian assistance, food support, medical aid and development projects for the Afghan people.

The latest statement is likely to deepen diplomatic pressure on Pakistan. By raising the issue at the UN Security Council, India has sought to frame Pakistan’s strikes not merely as a bilateral Afghanistan-Pakistan matter, but as a question of civilian protection, international law and regional peace. The situation also comes at a time when Afghanistan remains economically fragile and politically isolated. Any escalation with Pakistan could worsen humanitarian conditions, disrupt trade routes and increase displacement in border areas. Pakistan, on the other hand, faces its own internal security challenges. Attacks by militant groups inside Pakistan have increased pressure on Islamabad to act. However, India’s argument is that military action inside Afghan territory, especially when civilians are killed, cannot be justified as a legitimate response. The core issue now is accountability. India has argued that civilian casualties cannot be ignored simply because a government labels an attack as a military operation. This position is likely to resonate with wider concerns at the UN about the protection of civilians in conflict zones. The Afghanistan-Pakistan border has long been unstable, but the recent strikes have raised fears of a wider confrontation. If both sides continue military responses and counter-responses, the region may see deeper instability in the coming months. For now, India’s message at the UN is clear: Pakistan must be held responsible for strikes that harm civilians, and the international community must not allow such actions to be hidden under the language of military operations.