Belfast [UK], May 15 (ANI): British political commentator and writer David Vance has voiced strong support for India's Operation Sindoor, calling it 'long overdue' and a necessary move.

Vance also repeated his earlier remarks from a 2018 United Nations address, where he called Pakistan a 'failed state' and a 'terrorist incubator.'

In an interview with ANI, Vance said, 'I think the operation was long overdue. That's the first thing. It needed to happen is the second thing. And thirdly, I think the operation has been pretty successful... I think this was India striking a blow for civilisation. It was a lot more than just the conflict with Pakistan. This is something I said at the UN back in 2018; I consider Pakistan to be a failed state, a terrorist state, a terrorist incubator. And so it was good that India moved against it.'

India launched Operation Sindoor in response to last month's Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people were killed. India's precision strikes in Pakistan and PoJK on May 7 killed over 100 terrorists. India responded effectively to the subsequent Pakistani aggression and also pounded its airbases.

Vance also condemned the Western media for its biased coverage of the Pahalgam terror attack. Criticising outlets that referred to terrorists as 'gunmen,' Vance accused the media of favouring Pakistan.

He said, 'The Western media's coverage has been absolutely atrocious. It's been biased in favour of Pakistan, and it's ignored the obvious success that India had. In fact, I think India was almost too successful, insofar as I was disappointed that President Trump intervened and tried to get a ceasefire. I didn't think there was any need for a ceasefire. I think it was important that India was let to go after all these terrorists. And I think it did, and I think it did extremely well.'

He added, 'But the Western media, it's so unfair on so many things, not just this issue, many other issues as well. It cannot be trusted. Here in the UK, we get a lot of news from the BBC. The BBC should be banned in India. The BBC is so anti-India, and so pro-Pakistan...'

The UK political commentator also criticised US President Donald Trump for taking credit for the India-Pakistan cessation of hostilities. Vance said the US President has 'lost all common sense' on this issue and should have backed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and India's fight against terrorism.

Vance said, 'I think President Trump is very misguided on this. I don't appreciate his intervention in this India-Pakistan situation. And I honestly think he has lost all common sense. The obvious thing for him to do should be to support Prime Minister Modi, to support India as it takes on a terrorist state. So I don't understand why President Trump is instead trying to turn this into another set of great achievements for him. It's got nothing to do with him. He should stay out of it and let India finish the job.'

Trump on Monday had said that his administration played a crucial role in brokering an immediate cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan, following escalating tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. (ANI)