Former Union Minister and senior Congress leader Anand Sharma has resigned from his position as Chairman of the All India Congress Committee’s (AICC) Foreign Affairs Department. While stepping down from the role, which he held for nearly a decade, Sharma will continue to serve as a member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the party’s highest decision-making body.
In his resignation letter to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Sharma said, “The committee needs to be reconstituted to bring in younger leaders of potential and promise. That will ensure continuity in its functioning.”
He added that the decision was made to facilitate reorganisation and help in grooming future leadership.
Decades o fservice in foreign affairs
Sharma has been one of the Congress’s most prominent faces on foreign policy for almost four decades. He played a pivotal role in key diplomatic initiatives, including the Indo-US nuclear deal negotiations, securing India-specific waivers at the Nuclear Suppliers Group, and institutionalising the India-Africa partnership through structured summits.
As commerce minister, he oversaw the signing of the first-ever WTO Agreement and comprehensive trade pacts. The party’s foreign affairs department under his leadership forged ties with political parties worldwide, promoting values of democracy, equality, and human rights.
Role in Operation Sindoor Diplomatic outreach
Recently, Sharma was part of India’s diplomatic outreach, Operation Sindoor, travelling with an all-party parliamentary delegation led by NCP-SCP leader Supriya Sule. The group included members from BJP, Congress, AAP, TDP, and former diplomats, aiming to highlight India’s stance against cross-border terrorism.
Congress MP Manish Tewari praised Sharma’s “astute understanding of foreign affairs” and “incisive knowledge on Africa,” noting that the delegation greatly benefited from his insights.
Rich legacy of international engagement
Sharma’s association with international initiatives dates back to his tenure as president of the Indian Youth Congress in the mid-1980s, where he participated in landmark events like the 1985 NAM Youth Conference and the 1987 Anti-Apartheid Conference. He also helped convene high-profile gatherings such as the Satyagraha Centenary Conference (2007) and Jawaharlal Nehru’s 125th birth anniversary conference (2014), both attended by global leaders.
Even after stepping down, Anand Sharma remains a key figure in the Congress’s strategic and diplomatic engagements, with his influence on India’s foreign policy legacy continuing to resonate.
