BIG blow to Pakistan on global stage as India abstains from voting on IMF bailout for Islamabad, cautions against...

India has abstained from voting on the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) proposed USD 1.3 billion bailout package for Pakistan, sending a strong message to the world against terror-backing by Islamabad. New Delhi cited Islamabad’s “poor track record” in effectively utilising previous financial aid.

India questioned repeated IMF bailouts and cautioned against potential misuse of funds, given Pakistan's background of terror landscape. New Delhi has also appealed to the IMF to incorporate moral accountability into its lending criteria. 

It also pointed out the potential risk of funding a country that has been funding terrorism for over decades. Rewarding such behavior sends wrong signals to the global community, India warned. 

India-Pak conflict 

This comes amid the ongoing conflict between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir which claimed 26 innocent lives. In response to the tragedy, the Indian armed forces launched 'Operation Sindoor', successfully knocking down nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK). 

Meanwhile, Pakistan desperately retaliated to India's move, making multiple airspace violations and drone intrusions on the night of May 7 and 8, targeting Indian military infrastructure. These attempts were effectively foiled by the Indian armed forces.