India’s Ambassador to the US Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Thursday said the country will not hold talks with Pakistan until it gives up its state policy of supporting terrorism. The statement came hours after the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance registered a thumping victory in the Lok Sabha elections.

 

He said the onus of ensuring the success of peace talks was on Pakistan and emphasised that the future of bilateral ties would improve once Pakistan stopped using terrorism as a means of achieving its objectives. “I think the government will be within its mandate to start a better relationship,” Shringla told a group of American reporters after the results were declared.

 

 

The Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan congratulated Prime Minister Narender Modi on his electoral victory and expressed his desire to working together for peace in the region. Shringla said India could no longer deal with Pakistan’s “double handed policy” of supporting terrorism and talking about peace.