New Delhi, June 10:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met members of a special all-party delegation on Tuesday evening, who recently returned from a global diplomatic mission to brief international leaders on India’s Operation Sindoor and the country’s unwavering stand against terrorism. The interaction, held over dinner in New Delhi, was described as an informal yet meaningful gathering where delegation members shared their experiences from across the world.
A total of 59 delegates, including 51 political leaders and 8 ambassadors, visited 33 countries in recent weeks. The effort was a unified political outreach to counter misinformation and showcase India's commitment to combatting cross-border terrorism, particularly in light of the Pahalgam terrorist attack on April 22.
Seven Delegations, Seven Leaders
The outreach was coordinated through seven groups of parliamentarians, each led by a senior MP. The leaders included:
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Ravi Shankar Prasad and Baijayant Jay Panda (BJP)
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Sanjay Kumar Jha (JDU)
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Kanimozhi Karunanidhi (DMK)
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Supriya Sule (NCP - Sharad Pawar faction)
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Shrikant Shinde (Shiv Sena - Shinde faction)
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Shashi Tharoor (Congress)
The last delegation, led by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, returned on Tuesday after visiting the United States, Panama, Guyana, Brazil, and Colombia. Speaking at Delhi Airport, Tharoor said, “We were warmly received and held high-level meetings with Presidents, Prime Ministers, Vice Presidents, and top leaders of the countries we visited. They understood India’s reasoning behind Operation Sindoor after the brutal Pahalgam attack.”
He added, “This was a commendable bipartisan effort to reflect India’s unity. We’re happy that the PM wanted to meet us and hear our insights. The meeting tonight is informal – what we call ‘high tea’ – with meaningful discussion over light snacks.”
Key Messages Delivered Globally
The delegations delivered five core messages on behalf of India:
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Zero Tolerance for Terrorism
The MPs clarified that Operation Sindoor targeted terrorist infrastructure, not civilians. The Pakistani army’s retaliation was also highlighted. -
Proof of Pakistan’s Involvement
Evidence was presented linking The Resistance Front (TRF) – a Pakistan-backed terror group – to the Pahalgam attack and other past incidents. -
India’s Responsible Approach
Emphasis was laid on India’s restraint and respect for civilian safety, along with its acceptance of Pakistan’s May 10 ceasefire proposal. -
Call for Global Unity
Countries were urged to publicly condemn terrorism and treat India’s conflict with Pakistan as part of the broader global war on terrorism. -
Shift in India’s Pakistan Policy
India’s proactive stance against terror threats was underlined, with a focus on pre-emptive neutralization of attackers.
India’s History of Bipartisan Diplomacy
This isn’t the first time India has deployed all-party diplomacy for strategic messaging:
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1994: Then PM Narasimha Rao sent a team led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee to counter Pakistan’s false human rights accusations at the UNHRC.
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2008: After the Mumbai attacks, PM Manmohan Singh launched a diplomatic mission with leaders from all parties. Their efforts helped push Pakistan onto the FATF grey list and exposed terror links internationally.
Background: Operation Sindoor
The Pahalgam attack on April 22 claimed the lives of 26 tourists. In retaliation, India conducted airstrikes on nine terror bases in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Pakistan on May 7, reportedly killing over 100 terrorists. A ceasefire was agreed upon and implemented on May 10 at 5 PM.