ISSUE
Friday, August 15, 2025
Volume 16 . Issue 72
The government said that it will be open to moving the International Court of Justice, if the Supreme Court allows it, on the brutal torture of Indian Army officer Saurabh Kalia by Pakistani forces during the Kargil war of 1999.
The external affairs ministry statement came in response to media reports regarding the government's stand in the Supreme Court on the case filed by the family of Capt. Kalia.
Ministry spokesperson, Vikas Swarup, said in a statement that India has "conventionally held the position that India and Pakistan cannot invoke the compulsory jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice in relation to disputes concerning armed conflicts, hostilities etc and as they are both members of the Commonwealth".
"This position, which was stated in the affidavit filed by the government on September 26, 2013, has now been reviewed. Government will be requesting the Supreme Court to pronounce on the legality of the stand, taking into account the exceptional circumstances.
"Subject to above, government would be open to invoking the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice," he said.
The government's response came after Saurabh Kalia's father, N.K. Kalia accused the National Democratic Alliance government of not doing anything about his son's case.
Capt. Kalia, of the 4 Jat, was the first Indian army officer to report the incursion by the Pakistan army on Indian soil in Kargil region. He and five other soldiers were on patrol at the Bajrang Post in Kaksar sector of Jammu and Kashmir when they were taken captive by the Pakistani army on May 15, 1999 and tortured for weeks before being killed. Their mutilated bodies were handed over to the Indian authorities on June 9.
The government said that it will be open to moving the International Court of Justice, if the Supreme Court allows it, on the brutal torture of Indian Army officer Saurabh Kalia by Pakistani forces during the Kargil war of 1999.
The external affairs ministry statement came in response to media...
The government said that it will be open to moving the International Court of Justice, if the Supreme Court allows it, on the brutal torture of Indian Army officer Saurabh Kalia by Pakistani forces during the Kargil war of 1999.
The external affairs ministry statement came in response to media reports regarding the government's stand in the Supreme Court on the case filed by the family of Capt. Kalia.
Ministry spokesperson, Vikas Swarup, said in a statement that India has "conventionally held the position that India and Pakistan cannot invoke the compulsory jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice in relation to disputes concerning armed conflicts, hostilities etc and as they are both members of the Commonwealth".
"This position, which was stated in the affidavit filed by the government on September 26, 2013, has now been reviewed. Government will be requesting the Supreme Court to pronounce on the legality of the stand, taking into account the exceptional circumstances.
"Subject to above, government would be open to invoking the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice," he said.
The government's response came after Saurabh Kalia's father, N.K. Kalia accused the National Democratic Alliance government of not doing anything about his son's case.
Capt. Kalia, of the 4 Jat, was the first Indian army officer to report the incursion by the Pakistan army on Indian soil in Kargil region. He and five other soldiers were on patrol at the Bajrang Post in Kaksar sector of Jammu and Kashmir when they were taken captive by the Pakistani army on May 15, 1999 and tortured for weeks before being killed. Their mutilated bodies were handed over to the Indian authorities on June 9.
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