THE Guardian’s recent report on the killing of 20 Pakistani citizens by India underscores the alarming trend of India’s killing spree on foreign soil. Earlier, Canada and the US also slammed India for killing and spying on its citizens. The Indian defence minister’s statement to target escaped terrorists inside Pakistan is an admission of the killing of 20 citizens by RAW. Committing extraterritorial killings is not only a violation of fundamental human rights but also a blatant breach of state sovereignty. Under international law, states are expected to respect the sovereignty of other nations.

The United Nations Charter, in particular, upholds the principle of non-interference in the domestic affairs of sovereign states. Article 2, paragraph 4 of the UN Charter stipulates that: “All members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations.” India, however, appears to have little regard for international law and seems adamant on asserting its power and influence in the region. Such actions only pose the risk of setting a dangerous precedent and weakening the global framework for maintaining peace and stability.

New Delhi seems to draw inspiration from Israel who is perceived to be a more experienced member of the “extraterritorial assassins’ club”. Starting from the mid 20th century, Tel Aviv is believed to have carried out more than 1000 assassination operations until now. Earlier, it used targeted killings to seek revenge on Nazi war criminals and to eliminate Palestinian leaders. However, the killing spree, later, expanded to other countries as well, as Israel killed an Iranian nuclear scientist in 2021. One can say that the failure of the international community in holding Israel accountable gave a green signal to India. Besides this, the lack of accountability also undermines the credibility of international institutions.

South Asia is already a volatile region mainly because of the longstanding animosity between India and Pakistan. Such nefarious activities by India will only exacerbate existing distrust and bitterness between the two nuclear-armed states, fuelling a cycle of retaliation and counter-retaliation. This could potentially escalate into a larger conflict with catastrophic consequences for the entire region. If India is not stopped now, its extrajudicial killings may embolden other countries to carry out such operations in order to meet their political agendas under the guise of defence which will have devastating consequences for global peace and security.

It is imperative for the international community to take strict action to address this alarming trend. A coordinated response in the form of diplomatic pressure and international sanctions is needed to rein in the Indian rogue intelligence agency, RAW, and prevent further destabilization of the region. The world needs to stand firm against such egregious violations of international law and work towards a world where the rule of law and respect for human dignity prevail. The time to act is now, before irreparable harm is done to the fabric of our shared humanity.

—The writer is freelance columnist.