Indian delegation in US to push anti-terror message, discuss Operation Sindoor

Washington: An all-party parliamentary delegation led by Congress leader Shashi Tharoor will meet members of the US Congress, American officials, think tanks and policy experts to brief them on Operation Sindoor, terrorism faced by India and regional security.

The delegation arrived in the US capital Tuesday and will have packed days of engagements till Thursday.

The multi-party group will be engaging with members of the US Congress, American think tanks and media professionals.

Chairperson of the Standing Committee on External Affairs Tharoor is leading the delegation, which comprises 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.

“An all party delegation led by Dr. @ShashiTharoor arrives in Washington D.C. Over the next two days the delegation will be meeting members of the US Congress and administration, think tanks, media and policymakers to brief them on Operation Sindoor and India's strong stand against terrorism,” the Indian Embassy said in a post on X.

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

In its interactions in the US, the delegation will convey India's resolve against terrorism and emphasise Pakistan's links to terrorism.  Speaking to PTI, delegation member Deora said that the group in the US, as well as those visiting other regions and countries, is telling the world that “India has had enough.” He said that every country they visited so far “issued very unequivocal, I would almost say, unconditional, statements in favour of India.” He asserted that just as countries like the US have every right to protect themselves and eliminate terrorists—whether state-sponsored or non-state actors—"India has that same right. And for India to grow, for India's economy to thrive, for American investments to continue to perform in India, India needs peace. India needs strong borders. India needs security." "We want to live in peace. We would prefer it if we have a stable neighbour. Nobody wants an unstable lunatic living next to you," he said.

Another delegation member Surya told PTI that there is absolutely no sympathy towards Pakistani-originated terrorism.

The countries the delegation visited have “very clearly understood why India was constrained to respond militarily in the way it did, and have supported India's counterterrorism measure.” On Wednesday, when the Indian delegation begins its meetings here, a parliamentary delegation from Pakistan led by Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman and former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is also set to arrive in Washington, DC.

Speaking to reporters at the United Nations headquarters in New York, Zardari—who met UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres along with his delegation—said they would meet US government representatives and lawmakers in the American capital.

“The President of the United States has a unique opportunity to deliver on his commitment to peace within the context of India and Pakistan. The United States enjoys good relations with Pakistan and enjoys good relations with India…we will be seeking to encourage the United States and other international players to play their role, to facilitate this process,” Zardari said.

On the Pakistani delegation arriving in Washington the same day, Deora said, “There is no doubt in anyone's mind in the United States that Pakistan is a banana republic, a failed state, a terror exporter, a country where the civilian government has no power, (it’s) the army that controls the power. So I don't think that it matters to India that there's a Pakistani delegation trying to play copy and paste.” Surya also said that it was not the "first time that the Pakistanis tried to copy India in what India tries to do, but they end up a cheap copy.” He said that the world has long observed what India stands for and what Pakistan stands for.

Investing in India, he said, is seen as an investment in democracy, responsible civilian leadership and global progress. On the other hand, he noted that every terrorist attack in the last 20-30 years that has rocked the world has had investigations directly or indirectly leading to Pakistan.  He added that over 50 UN-designated terrorists have formed a safe haven in Pakistan. “So the narrative of a country like Pakistan cannot be salvaged by an accented English speaking suit-wearing ex-foreign minister. Pakistan's hands are too full in blood to be washed away by this overnight drama,” Surya said.

The Tharoor-led delegation is 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.

Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, with India carrying out precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in the early hours of May 7.

Pakistan attempted to attack Indian military bases on May 8, 9, and 10. The Indian side responded strongly to the Pakistani actions.

The on-ground hostilities ended with an understanding of stopping the military actions following talks between the directors general of military operations of both sides on May 10.