Randhir Jaiswal
As MEA spokesperson, Jaiswal this week fended off criticism from the U.S., China, and Pakistan across a wide diplomatic portfolio — from Arunachal Pradesh naming and FCRA amendments to PoJK protests and the Modi-Netanyahu partnership — while also briefing on Russian Army releases, stranded seafarers, and a delicate diplomatic reset with Bangladesh.
Randhir Jaiswal, India's Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, is running flat-out across a remarkably broad diplomatic agenda this August. He is the public voice translating New Delhi's positions into sharp, quotable pushback on nearly every front simultaneously.
The heaviest fire is directed at Pakistan. Jaiswal dismissed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's Article 370 anniversary remarks as "desperate," demanded an end to cross-border terrorism after Pakistani drone intrusions into Jammu and Kashmir, called Pakistan-occupied Kashmir local elections a "complete farce," and condemned Islamabad's crackdown on PoJK protesters that killed over 40 — singling out Defence Minister Khawaja Asif for branding peaceful civilians "enemies." He also rejected Deputy PM Ishaq Dar's Kashmir and Indus Waters Treaty remarks at ASEAN as cynical disinformation, blaming Pakistan's terror sponsorship for SAARC's stagnation.
With China, Jaiswal warned Beijing to stop "injecting negativity" after India standardized 27 place names in Arunachal Pradesh in response to Chinese renaming attempts. He rejected China's sovereignty claims, accusing Beijing of illegally occupying Indian territories in J&K and Ladakh since 1963, following Jaishankar-Wang Yi talks in Manila.
On Bangladesh, Jaiswal walked a careful line — distancing the government from Sheikh Hasina's virtual press event in New Delhi while confirming India invited Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to the 18th BRICS Summit outreach session as BIMSTEC chair, framing the move as standard BRICS practice amid a diplomatic reset with Dhaka.
With the United States, he rejected Congressman Riley Moore's criticism of India's FCRA amendments, citing similar foreign-funding laws in Western countries, while also coordinating with U.S. authorities on tightened visa rules and processing over 2,200 deportees. He is monitoring the Graham-Blumenthal sanctions bill that could impose steep tariffs on India for buying Russian crude.
Jaiswal also briefed on 139 Indian nationals released from the Russian Army, condemned attacks on commercial shipping in the Black Sea after Indian seafarers were killed near Odesa, confirmed Nirav Modi's extradition will proceed once UK legal proceedings conclude, and highlighted India's Strategic Partnership with Tanzania through the IIT Madras Zanzibar campus.
On their plate
Jaiswal dismissed Shehbaz Sharif's Article 370 anniversary remarks as desperate, demanded an end to cross-border terrorism after Pakistani drone intrusions, called PoJK local elections a complete farce, condemned the killing of over 40 protesters, and rejected Ishaq Dar's Kashmir and Indus Waters Treaty remarks at ASEAN as disinformation. He blamed Pakistan's terror sponsorship for SAARC's stagnation.
Jaiswal warned China to stop injecting negativity into relations after India standardized 27 place names in Arunachal Pradesh in response to Beijing's renaming attempts. He rejected China's sovereignty claims, accused Beijing of illegally occupying Indian territories in J&K and Ladakh since 1963, and objected to Chinese infrastructure projects there, following Jaishankar-Wang Yi talks in Manila.
Jaiswal distanced India from Sheikh Hasina's virtual press event in New Delhi, stressing the government had no role in the private media forum and does not endorse remarks against the current Dhaka government. Separately, he confirmed India invited Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman to the 18th BRICS Summit outreach session as BIMSTEC chair, framing it as standard practice amid a diplomatic reset.
Jaiswal rejected U.S. Congressman Riley Moore's criticism of India's FCRA amendments, calling it an internal parliamentary matter and citing similar foreign-funding regulations in the U.S., UK, Canada, and EU. He also confirmed India is engaging with U.S. authorities on tightened F, J, and I visa categories, and reported 2,273 Indians deported from the U.S. through July 2026.
Jaiswal announced 139 Indian nationals have been released from the Russian Army with roughly two dozen still being pursued, cautioned citizens against fraudulent job offers, and condemned attacks on commercial shipping in the Black Sea after Indian seafarers were killed or stranded near Odesa and Chornomorsk. He also defended Russian oil imports as an energy-security matter while monitoring the Graham-Blumenthal sanctions bill.
Key relationships
Jaiswal rejected the U.S. Congressman's criticism of India's FCRA amendments, framing the law as an internal parliamentary matter.
Jaiswal distanced the Indian government from the former Bangladesh PM's virtual press event in New Delhi, stressing no official role or endorsement.
Jaiswal dismissed the Pakistan PM's remarks on the seventh anniversary of Article 370's abrogation as desperate, insisting the constitutional changes are an internal Indian matter.
Jaiswal confirmed India invited the Bangladesh PM to the 18th BRICS Summit outreach session in his capacity as BIMSTEC chair.
Jaiswal singled out Pakistan's Defence Minister for branding peaceful PoJK protesters as enemies, exposing Islamabad's disdain for the region's people.
Jaiswal rejected the Pakistan Deputy PM's Kashmir and Indus Waters Treaty remarks at ASEAN as cynical disinformation.
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