All-party parliamentary delegation led by Shashi Tharoor wraps up US visit

Washington: A multi-party parliamentary delegation wrapped up its visit to the US after meeting with Vice President J D Vance and Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau among political and diplomatic leaders, to drive home India's strong resolve to combat terrorism emanating from Pakistan.

The delegation, led by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, was on the last leg of a multi-nation tour to brief key interlocutors about Operation Sindoor that India launched in retaliation to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives.

The delegation was one of the seven multi-party delegations India had tasked to visit 33 global capitals to reach out to the international community to emphasise Pakistan’s links to terrorism.

The group arrived in the US capital on June 3 and over the course of three days held a wide array of meetings on Capitol Hill as well as in Washington, briefing American government officials as well as lawmakers about India's stance on cross-border terrorism.

The Indian team met Vice President Vance, Landau, House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) leadership, India Caucus leadership and Senate Foreign Relations Committee leaders. It also held meetings and interactions with a host of US Congressmen, think tanks, policy experts, media as well as members of the Indian-American community.

Tharoor described the meeting with Vance at the White House for about 25 minutes on Thursday as “an excellent meeting,” and said the vice president was “warm and welcoming and receptive.” “Vance expressed complete understanding, first of all, outrage of what happened in Pahalgam and support and respect for India’s restrained response in Operation Sindoor,” Tharoor told PTI after that meeting.

After the delegation met Landau on Friday, a statement by State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce said that the Deputy Secretary of State “reaffirmed the United States’ strong support of India in the fight against terrorism and the strategic partnership between the two countries.” “We discussed the US-India strategic relationship, including expanding trade and commercial ties to foster growth and prosperity for both countries,” Landau said.

The Indian Embassy said in a statement that during the meeting with Landau, the delegation briefed him on the heinous terrorist attack in Pahalgam, discussed India’s subsequent Operation Sindoor, and put forth India’s firm resolve to counter cross-border terrorism in all its forms.

In a post on X on Sunday, Tharoor wrote in Hindi, "On behalf of all the members, I express my gratitude to the motherland and the lovers of India in the country and abroad who listened with open ears and accepted with open heart that we are lovers of non-violence but only until someone... Jai Hind".

On the last day of the delegation's scheduled meetings, the delegation paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi at his statue opposite the Indian Embassy here.

“It is striking how many world capitals are adorned with statues or busts of the Mahatma, the 20th century’s greatest apostle of peace, nonviolence, and human freedom,” Tharoor posted on X afterwards.

The team, which had arrived from India in New York on May 24, had travelled to Guyana, Panama, Colombia and Brazil before arriving in Washington for the last leg of the tour.

The other members of the delegation were Sarfaraz Ahmad (JMM), Ganti Harish Madhur Balayogi (TDP), Shashank Mani Tripathi (BJP), Bhubaneswar Kalita (BJP), Milind Deora (Shiv Sena), Tejasvi Surya (BJP) and India’s former Ambassador to the US Taranjit Sandhu.

Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after the Pahalgam terror attack, with India carrying out precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 7.

The on-ground hostilities from Indian and Pakistan sides that lasted for four days ended with an understanding of stopping the military actions following talks between the directors general of military operations of both sides on May 10.