India tore into Pakistan Thursday at an open debate at the UN Security Council, accusing its representatives of epitomising "the dark arts" and "peddling falsehoods".

(Video by ANI)

Earlier, Pakistan's UN envoy Munir Akram brought up the scrapping of Jammu and Kashmir' special status: he said it was a "first step" in what he claimed were Indian efforts to suppress Muslims, according to a UN release. He said New Delhi could start another "military adventure" against his country, and warned Pakistan would "respond resolutely" if attacked -- despite not wanting war.

India dismissed Islamabad's narrative "with disdain".

"My simple response to Pakistan is even though it is late, neighbour, heal thyself of your malaise. There are no takers here for your malware," said Syed Akbaruddin, India's Permanent Representative to the UN.

Syed Akbaruddin tweeted a clip of his intervention. Watch.

Syed Akbaruddin also told the Security Council -- whose permanent members are the US, Russia, China, France, Russia and the United Kingdom -- that it faced "crises of identity and legitimacy, as well as relevance and performance".

"The globalisation of terror networks; the weaponisation of new technologies; the inability to counter those resorting to subversive statecraft are showing up the shortcomings of the Council," he said.

"The answer to the crises the Council faces, lies in invoking and working through [United Nations] Charter provisions that provide for reform and change," he said.

He quoted Gandhi: "One must care about the world one will not see."