The Pahalgam terror attack of April 2025, in which gunmen killed tourists at the Baisaran meadow in Jammu and Kashmir, has resurfaced in political debate after BRICS nations formally condemned it — prompting Jammu and Kashmir Congress chief Ghulam Ahmad Mir to ask why New Delhi still rolls out the “red carpet” for China. Mir’s remarks, made this week, tie a global diplomatic win to an uncomfortable domestic question about China’s ties with Pakistan.
Key Takeaways
- BRICS members issued a joint statement condemning the Pahalgam terror attack, a move Congress leader Ghulam Ahmad Mir has publicly welcomed.
- Mir simultaneously questioned the Indian government’s warmth toward China, calling it inconsistent with China’s record of shielding Pakistan on terror issues at the UN.
- The Pahalgam terror attack, which killed dozens of tourists in April 2025, remains a raw political flashpoint more than a year later.
- The episode has reopened a familiar fault line in Indian politics: how much diplomatic goodwill should be extended to Beijing while it continues to back Islamabad.
What Did Ghulam Ahmad Mir Say About the BRICS Declaration?
Ghulam Ahmad Mir, president of the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee, called the BRICS condemnation of the Pahalgam terror attack a “diplomatic vindication” for India. He argued that when a bloc that includes China itself is forced to name and denounce an attack rooted in cross-border terrorism, it strengthens India’s long-standing position at every international forum.
But Mir didn’t stop at praise. In the same breath, he turned the spotlight on the Modi government, asking why Beijing continues to receive high-profile diplomatic courtesy in New Delhi even as it protects Pakistan-based groups from accountability. His phrase — a “red carpet” for China — was deliberately provocative, meant to contrast global condemnation with what he sees as domestic softness.
What Exactly Happened in the Pahalgam Terror Attack?
The Pahalgam terror attack took place on 22 April 2025, when armed militants opened fire on tourists at Baisaran, a meadow near the popular Kashmir hill town of Pahalgam. Reports at the time put the death toll at around two dozen civilians, most of them tourists visiting from other Indian states, making it one of the deadliest attacks on civilians in Jammu and Kashmir in recent years.
Indian security agencies linked the attack to The Resistance Front (TRF), widely described as a proxy of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba. The attack triggered a sharp escalation in India-Pakistan tensions, diplomatic expulsions, and a broader security crackdown across the Kashmir Valley. Even now, the Pahalgam terror attack is routinely cited in Parliament and at international summits as evidence of persistent cross-border terrorism.
What Did the BRICS Statement Actually Say?
BRICS, the grouping of major emerging economies that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa along with newer members, issued language condemning terrorism and specifically referencing the Pahalgam terror attack in its joint declaration. For India, getting such wording accepted by consensus — especially with China and Pakistan-friendly voices in the wider BRICS-plus circle — was seen as a genuine diplomatic achievement.
Here’s a quick snapshot of how the episode has unfolded:
| Date/Period | Development |
| April 22, 2025 | Pahalgam terror attack kills tourists at Baisaran meadow |
| Following weeks | India-Pakistan tensions escalate; TRF/Lashkar-e-Taiba link alleged |
| 2025 BRICS Summit | Joint declaration condemns the Pahalgam terror attack |
| September 2026 | Ghulam Ahmad Mir welcomes BRICS stand, questions China ties |
Why Is Mir Questioning India’s ‘Red Carpet’ for China?
This is where the story gets genuinely interesting, and it’s not just Congress talking points. China has a documented history of using its veto power at the United Nations Security Council to block or delay terror designations against individuals with known Pakistan-based terror links — Masood Azhar’s case being the most cited example over the past decade. Mir’s argument is straightforward: how does a country that shields terror masterminds at the UN also get warm bilateral treatment in Delhi’s corridors?
Congress has used similar framing before, accusing the government of prioritising trade and border-de-escalation optics with Beijing over consistency on terrorism. You can read more on how the international community has approached this pattern of statements versus action at the Wikipedia entry documenting the Pahalgam attack and its aftermath, which lays out the diplomatic fallout in detail.
An India-China Angle Worth Watching
Here’s the original wrinkle: China is itself a BRICS member and reportedly agreed to the language condemning the Pahalgam terror attack. That’s a subtle but real shift — Beijing signing off on wording tied to an attack traced to a Pakistan-linked outfit is not nothing, even if it stops short of naming Pakistan directly. Mir’s critique, in a sense, is asking India to convert that small diplomatic opening into firmer leverage, rather than treating it as a one-off talking point at a summit photo-op.
What Has the Congress Party’s Broader Stand Been on This Issue?
Congress has repeatedly said it supports the government’s counter-terrorism posture on the global stage while criticising what it calls contradictions in bilateral diplomacy. Party leaders have raised similar questions after previous high-level India-China engagements, arguing that optics of friendliness undercut India’s own narrative on terrorism.
- Congress backs strong global condemnation of the Pahalgam terror attack, including from BRICS.
- It criticises perceived inconsistency in how India treats China diplomatically versus how it treats Pakistan.
- It has demanded greater parliamentary briefing on the outcomes of the BRICS declaration.
- It continues to raise the Pahalgam terror attack as a benchmark for judging foreign policy follow-through.
FAQ
What was the Pahalgam terror attack?
It was an armed attack on tourists at Baisaran meadow near Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22, 2025, that killed dozens of civilians and was linked to a Pakistan-based terror network.
What did BRICS say about the Pahalgam terror attack?
BRICS nations, in a joint declaration, condemned the attack, marking a rare instance of consensus language on a specific India-related terror incident from a bloc that also includes China.
Who is Ghulam Ahmad Mir?
Ghulam Ahmad Mir is the president of the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee and a senior Congress leader from the Union Territory.
Why did Mir criticise India’s ties with China?
He argued that China’s history of shielding Pakistan-based terror suspects at global forums like the UN sits uneasily with the warm diplomatic treatment Beijing receives from New Delhi.
Is this the first time Congress has raised this China-Pakistan terror link?
No, Congress leaders have repeatedly flagged China’s UN vetoes on terror designations as inconsistent with India’s push for stronger anti-terror cooperation.
The Pahalgam terror attack continues to shape how Indian politicians frame foreign policy wins and contradictions alike. Mir’s comments show that even a diplomatic success like the BRICS condemnation can quickly become ammunition in the domestic debate over how India balances its relationship with China.