In a masterclass of assertive diplomacy, India has delivered a scathing and sharply sarcastic rebuttal to Switzerland at the United Nations Human Rights Council, turning the tables on the European nation by offering to "help" it address its own deep-seated issues with racism and xenophobia. The fiery response came after the Swiss delegation called on India to protect its minorities and uphold media freedom, a move the Indian diplomat Kshitij Tyagi dismissed as "surprising, shallow and ill-informed."
Addressing the 60th Session of the UNHRC, Tyagi rejected the Swiss statement as a narrative that was "blatantly false and do not do justice to the reality of India." In a dramatic reversal of roles, he advised Switzerland, in its capacity as the council's president, to avoid wasting the UN's time and instead focus on its own pressing domestic challenges. He pointedly cited "racism, systematic discrimination and xenophobia" as issues plaguing the European nation, effectively turning the mirror back on the accuser.
In a final, diplomatically devastating blow, Tyagi concluded his remarks to the Swiss delegation with a cutting offer of assistance. "As the world's largest, most diverse and vibrant democracy, with a civilisational embrace of pluralism, India remains ready to help Switzerland address these concerns," he stated. The remark, delivered with formal precision, was a thinly veiled rebuke, signaling a new, more confident and combative Indian posture on the world stage, one that is unafraid to challenge the moral authority of Western nations.
The Indian diplomat's sharp words were not reserved for Switzerland alone. In the same session, Tyagi launched a blistering attack on Pakistan, labeling it a "dump truck" of recycled lies and a "failed state" that survives on "instability and handouts." He made it clear that India needs "no lessons from a terror sponsor, no sermons from a persecutor of minorities," a direct reference to Pakistan's own human rights record. Reaffirming India's right to self-defense, he stated that the country would continue to protect its citizens and defend its sovereignty "without compromise." This is not the first time Tyagi has used such strong language; in a previous session, he had similarly called out Pakistan's "military terrorist complex," establishing a consistent and uncompromising Indian stance against its neighbor at international forums.
· Scathing Rebuttal: An Indian diplomat delivered a blistering response to Switzerland at the UNHRC, dismissing its criticism of India's human rights record as "shallow and ill-informed."
· Sarcastic Offer of Help: In a sharp diplomatic turn, India offered to "help" Switzerland address its own domestic issues with "racism, systematic discrimination and xenophobia."
· Strong Condemnation of Pakistan: In the same session, the diplomat labeled Pakistan a "failed state" and a "terror sponsor," continuing India's assertive stance at the UN.
· New Assertive Diplomacy: The incident showcases a more confident and combative Indian diplomatic strategy that is willing to proactively challenge its critics on the global stage.
