New Delhi, 25 March (H.S.):

India has delivered a stinging rebuke to Pakistan's budding role as a diplomatic middleman in the escalating Middle East conflict, with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar declaring at a high-level all-party meeting Wednesday that India will never stoop to acting as a dalal country like Pakistan.

Sources familiar with the closed-door session in Parliament's complex described Jaishankar's remarks as unusually blunt, coming amid reports that Islamabad is positioning itself to host talks between the United States and Iran – a move that has irked Indian policymakers already grappling with the West Asia crisis's fallout on energy supplies and regional stability.

The gathering, chaired by senior cabinet ministers including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Minister Amit Shah, convened at 5 pm to brief political leaders on India's stance toward the rapidly unfolding conflict now in its fourth week.

Pakistan's overtures gained traction after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif publicly offered Islamabad as a venue for US-Iran negotiations on Tuesday, a proposal echoed by army chief Asim Munir's direct outreach to President Donald Trump.

This comes as Trump weighs strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, with Pakistani channels reportedly relaying a 15-point US ceasefire proposal to Tehran – developments that have opposition voices in India crying foul over India's sidelined position.

Jaishankar's sharp language underscores a long-standing Indian aversion to third-party meddling, a position the minister has championed for decades, most notably in rejecting external involvement in bilateral disputes.

While the government maintains active channels with Iran, Israel, and the US, the minister's comments signal no tolerance for Pakistan – a nation India views warily given past terror links – to eclipse its influence in global diplomacy.

The all-party consensus briefing reflects India's bid to project unity as the conflict disrupts oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, threatening India's import-dependent economy.

No official readout has been released, but attendees left emphasizing India's commitment to direct engagement over brokerage games.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar