Ghulam Mir Backs BRICS Pahalgam Condemnation, Questions India’s Red Carpet Welcome For China

Jammu and Kashmir Congress leader Ghulam Ahmad Mir on Sunday welcomed the BRICS Summit declaration condemning the Pahalgam terror attack, while questioning the Narendra Modi government's approach towards China. Mir said the inclusion of the Pahalgam attack in the joint declaration was a significant development, but argued that India's diplomatic engagement with Beijing raised questions given the tensions between the two countries and China's reported position during Operation Sindoor.

The Congress leader questioned why the government was extending what he described as a "red carpet" welcome to China despite the military confrontation between Indian and Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh. Mir referred to the Galwan Valley clash, in which Indian soldiers were killed during the 2020 confrontation with Chinese troops, and alleged that China had also encroached upon Indian territory in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh. His remarks came against the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's interactions with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the BRICS Summit in New Delhi.

Mir also criticised China's position during Operation Sindoor, the Indian military operation launched following the Pahalgam terror attack. He alleged that Beijing had backed Pakistan during the military confrontation, and questioned the government's decision to engage closely with the Chinese leadership despite what he described as unresolved strategic and security concerns. The Congress leader's comments reflect the opposition party's broader criticism of the government's handling of relations with China and its approach to national security.

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At the same time, Mir welcomed the BRICS declaration for explicitly condemning the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. The attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam killed 26 people and triggered a sharp deterioration in India-Pakistan relations. The BRICS declaration condemned terrorism in all its forms and rejected attempts to justify acts of terror, while referring to the Pahalgam attack among incidents of terrorism addressed by the grouping. Mir said the condemnation was important and should be viewed as recognition of India's concerns over terrorism.

However, the Congress leader argued that the government's diplomatic approach should remain consistent with India's security interests. Referring to China, he questioned the contrast between the government's strong position on terrorism and its engagement with a country that India has had a prolonged military standoff with along the Line of Actual Control. Mir's remarks also brought the focus back to the Galwan clash and continuing disagreements over the boundary, issues that have remained central to the political debate surrounding India-China relations since 2020.

The comments came after Xi Jinping's participation in the BRICS Summit in New Delhi, where he met Prime Minister Modi on the sidelines of the gathering. The two leaders discussed India-China relations, including the need to maintain peace and stability along the border. While the government has emphasised dialogue and efforts to improve bilateral ties, the opposition has repeatedly questioned whether closer diplomatic engagement with Beijing adequately addresses India's security concerns. Mir's remarks therefore combined a welcome for the BRICS condemnation of the Pahalgam attack with criticism of the government's outreach to China, keeping the focus on the balance between diplomacy, national security and the unresolved border dispute.

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