As India’s all-party parliamentary delegation wrapped up its four-nation outreach under Operation Sindoor, NCP-SCP MP Supriya Sule took a pointed dig at Pakistan for mimicking the move, saying the copycat action reflects the success of India’s initiative.
“If someone has copied, it means our initiative has been successful,” Sule said in Cairo, the final stop on the delegation’s tour that included South Africa, Ethiopia, and Qatar. “They would have thought this initiative, led by Prime Minister Modi and the Ministry of External Affairs, is good and successful. That’s why they copied it.”
The delegation, comprising leaders from various parties, engaged with officials, lawmakers, and civil society groups abroad to convey India’s position following the Pahalgam terror attack in April. Sule said every interaction reaffirmed India’s stance on terrorism.
‘World stands with India against terrorism’
“To whomsoever we met, all have said just one thing: They are against terrorism, they are with India, and they support India's Operation Sindoor,” she said, thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju for trusting the delegation with this mission.
Congress MP Anand Sharma added, “We are encouraged by the fact that friendly nations have understood India’s position. They condemned the terror attack on India. We also raised our long-pending proposal at the United Nations for a comprehensive international convention against terrorism and received assurances of support.”
‘We came as Indians to tell the truth’
Reflecting on the larger objective of the mission, Sule said the visit was about showing a united Indian front. “We have come as Indians here to tell the world what has really happened. It was very unfortunate and painful for us when this attack happened from our immediate neighbour,” she said.
She also cautioned against misinformation. “Many fake news and propaganda have been flooding in, and when we told all those whom we met about the truth, they all said this delegation effort was a good step.”
India-Egypt ties: peace, trade, and shared heritage
In Cairo, Sule spoke about the historical and cultural bond between India and Egypt. “Egypt and India need to work together—be it in the mission of peace, trade, or culture. We are two uniquely placed civilisational countries. We even have the seven wonders of the world—you have one, and we have one. We have so many things in common,” she said.
WTO under strain, but multilateralism still key: Anand Sharma
Speaking on the sidelines of the visit, Congress MP Anand Sharma also touched upon the evolving global trade landscape. “Countries that were once champions of free trade are now undermining the WTO. But a rule-based multilateral regime is still necessary,” he said, warning against “one-size-fits-all” approaches in global trade. While noting that several countries are in talks with the United States amid regional disruptions, he added, “There is no need to panic.”
The all-party delegation’s outreach comes amid heightened global attention on South Asia's security landscape, and India’s diplomatic campaign seeks to reinforce its narrative globally.