Shashi Tharoor, the leader of the All-Party Delegation and Congress MP, has candidly said that the delegation from Pakistan doesn’t have much to look forward to. He pointed out that hardly any nations have expressed support for Pakistan’s stance. Tharoor also highlighted how the Indian representative group has successfully showcased India as a victim rather than a perpetrator of terrorism.
Tharoor opined that concerns regarding the Pakistani delegation were not bothersome for the Indian side. He mentioned that India had a more crucial and expansive list of appointments compared to Pakistan. Not only lawmakers but also government officials feature in India’s list. Therefore, from Tharoor’s perspective, this is something worth celebrating.
The Congress MP also pointed out the stark difference in public responses to both delegations. As he observed, some of the Pakistani delegates have tweeted about their meetings, but the individuals they met haven’t publicly reciprocated with anything supportive or appreciative of Pakistan.
According to Tharoor, Pakistan’s argument that India is the instigator of terrorism is unsubstantiated. The Indian delegation has successfully countered this narrative by demonstrating that terrorism actually originates from Pakistan. With solid evidence, they have managed to shift the perspective, proving that India is predominantly a victim in these situations.
Christopher Landau, the Deputy Secretary of State, is among the delegates with whom the Indian representatives have confirmed meetings. So far, such engagements have yielded successful outcomes. Tharoor expressed his satisfaction with the efforts made by the Indian embassies in scheduling high-level meetings with various countries.
In Tharoor’s words, ‘top legislators dealing with these issues, think tanks, influential media, and the diaspora where possible and appropriate’ were included in these discussions. They managed to touch upon a wide range of subjects, covering a multitude of grounds.
After a hectic trip, the delegation returned satisfied, believing that they have effectively communicated the necessity of Operation Sindoor. Moreover, they also took this opportunity to reaffirm each country’s relationship with India. Thus, they were content in having accomplished two significant tasks.
The discourse with the various nations included not only terrorism and India’s response but also broader issues of cooperation and development. According to Tharoor, the interlocutors were eager to discuss the larger issues of cooperation with India and India’s involvement in their progress, making these two weeks intense but productive.
Reflecting on the trip, Tharoor shared that the level of support they received from the several countries surpassed their expectations. The reassurances they got, both privately and publicly, gave them an overwhelming sense of solidarity. He considered this as pivotal and a revelatory aspect of the due trip.
The Congress MP emphasized the tremendously positive experience the eight-member delegation had, feeling a sense of accomplishment for what they had done for the country. According to Tharoor, the journey proved to be not just a revealing experience, but it also engendered a sense of great triumph among the delegates, encouraging them in their efforts.
The primary objective of the visit was to shed light on ‘Operation Sindoor,’ an initiative India undertook to combat terrorism and disseminate reliable information following a recent terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam. The terror attack resulted in the tragic loss of 26 lives, leaving many others injured.
Reflecting on the delegation’s objectives, the trip was not just to convey the rationale behind ‘Operation Sindoor,’ but also to engage in constructive dialogues regarding cooperation and development between India and the countries they interacted with.
In the broader scenario, the discussions helped dismiss propagated misinformation, presenting the truth about India’s role and stance on terrorism. It reiterated India’s status as a victim and not an instigator, minimizing any potential negative perceptions about India, ultimately leading to the success of the mission and increasing global solidarity with India.