Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who led Group 5 of India’s seven all-party delegations, returned to Delhi after completing a diplomatic tour across five Latin American countries and the United States as part of the government’s global outreach mission following Operation Sindoor. The mission was aimed at building international support for India's stance on cross-border terrorism in the wake of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 tourists.
'A very good visit,' says Tharoor after successful outreach
Speaking to reporters upon his return, Tharoor expressed satisfaction with the delegation's meetings across the five nations — Panama, Guyana, Colombia, Brazil, and the United States.
“I think it was a very good visit,” Tharoor said. “We were all very pleased with the way in which the five countries we went to received us. We thought we had good results everywhere — high-quality meetings with Presidents, Prime Ministers, Vice Presidents, and very senior interlocutors.”
Tharoor noted that the international community showed “complete understanding” of India’s response to the Pahalgam attack and acknowledged the restraint New Delhi displayed in its military operation.
“Many of the people we spoke to specifically expressed respect for the restraint we had shown in our reaction,” he added. “We have come out of this extremely well.”
Reversing missteps: Colombia withdraws statement
Tharoor highlighted one notable success during the delegation’s stop in Colombia. The South American country had initially issued a statement expressing condolences for Pakistani casualties without fully understanding the context of Operation Sindoor — India’s targeted strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
“In Colombia, one thing that was positive for us was that we actually got them to reverse the stand they had taken, perhaps without enough thought,” Tharoor said.
“Once we explained everything, they withdrew their statement. Subsequently, the Acting Foreign Minister spoke to the media and acknowledged their support for our stand.”
Final stop: United States — Strategic meetings on Capitol Hill
The delegation wrapped up its tour with a three-day visit to the United States, starting June 3. During this leg, the delegation met U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau. Members also engaged with lawmakers and think tanks on Capitol Hill, emphasizing India's zero-tolerance approach to terrorism and the strategic context of Operation Sindoor.
A cross-party effort to speak with one voice
Group 5, led by Tharoor, included MPs from across the political spectrum: Sarfaraz Ahmad (JMM), Tejasvi Surya (BJP), Gants Harish Madhur Balayogi (TDP), Shashank Mani Tripathi (BJP), Bhubaneswar Kalita (BJP), Milind Deora (Shiv Sena), and India’s former ambassador to the U.S., Taranjit Singh Sandhu.
“The purpose of sending MPs demonstrates the unity of India across political lines,” Tharoor said. “We were able to deliver an effective message to government officials, legislators, think tanks, opinion makers, and — where appropriate — the diaspora.”
PM Modi to meet delegation at Lok Kalyan Marg
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to meet the members of all seven all-party delegations at 7 PM today at his official residence, Lok Kalyan Marg. The briefing will conclude India’s global diplomatic offensive following Operation Sindoor.
The mission has seen over 50 MPs and diplomats visit more than 30 countries. Other notable participants include NCP-SCP’s Supriya Sule, AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi, and several former ambassadors.
Operation Sindoor: India's strong military response
Operation Sindoor was launched on May 7 as a direct response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam. The Indian Armed Forces carried out precision strikes against terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, eliminating over 100 terrorists affiliated with Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen.
As part of the diplomatic effort, India’s delegations urged host nations to support stronger action against Pakistan, including renewed calls to place it back on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list for terror financing.
“Touch wood, we have done what we were asked to do and we are coming home reasonably exhausted and reasonably happy,” Tharoor concluded.
