“Any risk posed to India is also a risk to the Global Economy,” says BJP MP Baijayant ‘Jay’ Panda in an exclusive interview with CNN-News18

New Delhi, May 20, 2025: In an exclusive interview with CNN-News18, India’s leading English news channel, senior BJP leader Baijayant ‘Jay’ Panda engaged in a candid conversation with anchor Shivani Gupta, covering a wide range of topics, from Operation Sindoor and India’s zero-tolerance stance on terrorism to Pakistan’s nuclear ‘bluff’ and key geopolitical and national security issues.

Highlighting the success of Operation Sindoor, Panda said: “Operation Sindoor has had huge initial success. It has taught the Pakistani army a very costly lesson and indicated to them our capabilities. But this message needs to be taken across the world – of zero tolerance for terrorism – of enough being enough. The world does not tolerate terrorism, but other countries are not always focused on this issue. We are always at the brunt of cross-border terrorism, nurtured in Pakistan, trained in Pakistan, funded in Pakistan, and sent across by Pakistan’s armed forces as a proxy, and they commit these horrible crimes in India.”

Further, emphasizing modern-day warfare, he said, “The message needs to be taken across the world. Pakistan’s nuclear bluff has been called. The strategy Pakistan has been following is to saber-rattle, grab the world’s attention, and beg for more funding. All of this must be countered, because modern-day warfare is not just about missiles or bombing, where we already have overwhelming superiority. It is also about messaging to the global community.”

Highlighting the unity of India during tough times, he said, “India has demonstrated phenomenal unity across the spectrum. This shows the world that when it comes to the interest of the nation, there is no government or opposition; everyone is united.”

With this, Panda also highlighted India’s growing global stature and didn’t hold back as he outlined India’s counter-terrorism strategy and the government’s assertive foreign policy approach on the global stage.

Talking about his multi-party delegation’s visit to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Algeria, he shared, “The group includes MPs, former ministers and Chief Ministers such as Ghulam Nabi Azad, Asaduddin Owaisi, former foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, and others. With these kinds of personalities in the team, we look forward to having a very meaningful discussion. We will be meeting a wide variety of stakeholders, government, think tanks, media, and the diaspora. This messaging can’t be a one-off. We need messaging to continue. So, the diaspora is also a very important part for us to reach out to. There is a lot of misinformation that Pakistan is trying to spread, and that needs to be countered. This will be an effort that will have a lasting impact.”

During the interview, Panda also discussed topics ranging from governance and development to ideological positioning and global diplomacy. He condemned Pakistan’s recent diplomatic outreach, particularly Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto’s international engagements, labeling them as “childish” and lacking substance. Panda emphasized that Pakistan’s attempts to garner global sympathy are undermined by its own actions, especially its continued support for terrorism.

Watch the full interview here: https://youtu.be/l9QtnpuEsiw?si=xHF9mak-k4D3aQZ8