'Serial borrower': India exposes Pakistan at UN as terror hub hooked on IMF bailouts

India lashed out at Pakistan at the UN Security Council on Tuesday, drawing sharp contrasts between the two countries' economic and political trajectories — with New Delhi calling itself a "surging economy" and branding Islamabad a "serial borrower" mired in fanaticism and terror.

Speaking at the UNSC's high-level debate on "Promoting International Peace and Security through Multilateralism," India’s Permanent Representative Parvathaneni Harish directly accused Pakistan of undermining regional peace while leaning on international bailouts.

"India is a mature democracy, a surging economy, and a pluralistic and inclusive society. At the other extreme is Pakistan, steeped in fanaticism and terrorism and a serial borrower from the IMF," Harish said.

He described India as a “responsible actor” and “founding member of the United Nations,” actively engaged in creating a “peaceful, prosperous, and just” world through multilateral partnerships.

Without naming specific provocations, Harish issued a pointed rebuke: “It ill behoves a member of the Council to offer homilies while indulging in practices that are unacceptable to the international community.”

He went further by invoking the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, where Pakistani terrorists killed 26 civilians. In response, Harish said India carried out Operation Sindoor, targeting terror camps inside Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK). The military strikes were described as "focused, measured, and non-escalatory."

In a subtle correction to diplomatic narratives, Harish also clarified that the ceasefire was agreed to at Pakistan’s request, after former U.S. President Donald Trump previously claimed he had brokered the peace.

India’s hard-hitting remarks at the UN underscore its shift to a more assertive diplomatic tone, especially as it seeks to highlight Pakistan’s international isolation amid repeated IMF bailouts and ongoing scrutiny over its counterterrorism record.