Political leaders from across the spectrum on Wednesday welcomed the International Court of Justice’s ruling in the case of Kulbhushan Jadhav, who was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said truth and justice had prevailed.

The ruling

The ICJ ruled that Pakistan must review Jadhav’s death sentence. According to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the court directed Pakistan to grant consular access to Jadhav and to review his conviction and sentence. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the court had held Pakistan to be in clear breach of the Vienna Convention and had stayed the execution.

Government and BJP reaction

Modi congratulated the court on what he called a verdict based on extensive study of the facts, said he was sure Jadhav would get justice, and said his government would always work for the safety and welfare of every Indian. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said he had spoken to Jadhav’s family and praised their courage. Rajnath Singh called the verdict a big victory for India and for Modi’s diplomacy.

Former external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj said she “wholeheartedly” welcomed the ruling, hoped it would comfort Jadhav’s family, and thanked Modi for taking the case to the ICJ and senior advocate Harish Salve for arguing it successfully. BJP working president J P Nadda credited Modi’s foreign policy and said he was confident India would secure justice for Jadhav just as it had secured the return of IAF pilot Abhinandan, who was captured by Pakistan after the Balakot strikes and handed back on 1 March 2019.

Opposition reaction

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi said justice had finally prevailed. Surjewala welcomed the decision but said concerns about Jadhav’s safety remained, arguing that allowing Pakistan to review the case in a manner and forum of its choosing left him “vulnerable to another miscarriage of justice”. He also called the court’s refusal to allow Jadhav’s return to India unnerving. The Trinamool Congress welcomed the ruling and said it hoped Jadhav would soon be reunited with his family.

See also: Congress | BJP

Originally published on 18 July 2019. Rewritten on 9 October 2026.

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