India on Sunday strongly rejected remarks made by Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif after he questioned the international honour recently bestowed on Prime Minister Narendra Modi by Seychelles. Government sources dismissed Asif's criticism as ill-informed and branded him "mentally unstable."
The response followed Asif's comments casting doubt on the credibility of the "Guardian of the Blue Horizon" Presidential Distinction presented to Prime Minister Modi during his recent visit to Seychelles.
Government sources said the Pakistani minister's remarks demonstrated a lack of understanding and reflected poorly on the country's political leadership.
"That he could be entrusted with his current responsibility says much about today's Pakistan. Clearly, he has no day job and passes time by making silly comments on matters of which he has little knowledge. Envy is always a bad motivation, particularly so from someone steeped in hate speech," government sources told news agency ANI.
The sources also described Khawaja Asif being mentally unstable as a "known fact".
Prime Minister Modi was presented with Seychelles' newly created "Guardian of the Blue Horizon" Presidential Distinction in recognition of his leadership in environmental conservation and his backing of the aspirations of Small Island Developing States.
With the presentation of the award, Modi became the first recipient following Seychelles' overhaul of its national honours system. While accepting the distinction, the Prime Minister expressed gratitude to the people and government of Seychelles and dedicated the recognition to nations working collectively to confront the challenges of climate change.
The latest war of words comes amid a series of international honours conferred on Prime Minister Modi for his work related to sustainability, climate action and environmental protection.
Khawaja Asif has also drawn criticism from regional leaders over previous public statements. In November 2025, Afghanistan's Taliban-led administration rebuked the Pakistani minister after he reportedly threatened military action against Afghanistan.
At the time, Noorullah Noori, the Minister of Borders and Tribal Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, referred to Asif as a "mentally ill" person.
Addressing a gathering, Noori said, "Your history against Bangladesh and India is clear. Our history against Russia, America and Britain is clear. You judge."
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