New York [US], May 25 (ANI): Congress MP and leader of the all-party delegation, Shashi Tharoor, emphasized on Saturday that India’s Operation Sindoor was a clear message against terrorism, not a call for warfare with Pakistan. Speaking to ANI, Tharoor stressed India’s efforts at dialogue and diplomacy with Pakistan, but noted that Pakistan’s ongoing support for terrorism has left India no choice but to take firm action following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack.
“We are all together in this and we too should show a resolution to the world like America—that we are absolutely against this kind of terrorist attack and we will take action,” Tharoor said. He highlighted the importance of engaging with diverse groups in the US, including media and academic communities, to ensure the world understands India’s firm stance. “It is very important to listen to their questions and answer and explain it to them… because it is important that the world knows India’s stance,” he added.
Tharoor reaffirmed India’s zero-tolerance policy on terrorism and said the delegation’s visit aims to convey India’s national consensus and resolve to combat terrorism globally. The delegation also paid respects at the 9/11 Memorial in New York, symbolizing shared suffering and the need for global solidarity in fighting terrorism.
“We went to the Memorial of September 11 to send a message that New York also suffered due to terrorists twenty years ago; this is our experience as well. We want them to understand that solidarity is essential in this matter,” he stated.
Recalling India’s long history as a victim of terrorism, Tharoor cited several key incidents that exposed Pakistan’s denial and complicity. He mentioned the 2008 Mumbai terror attack (26/11), where 170 people were killed, and captured evidence linked the attackers to Pakistan. He also referred to the 2015 Pathankot airbase attack, which followed a goodwill visit by then Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Pakistan. Pakistan initially refused to cooperate in the investigation and falsely claimed Indian involvement. Additionally, Tharoor highlighted the 2016 Uri attack, after which India carried out surgical strikes across the Line of Control, a significant escalation in response. He also recalled the 2019 Pulwama attack that killed 40 Indians, prompting India’s airstrike on a terror camp in Balakot across the international border.
Tharoor explained that Operation Sindoor—India’s recent strike targeting nine terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir—sent a precise message that India would no longer tolerate terror emanating from across its borders. “We have hit Pakistan in their heartland, and we have done so only to send a message about terror. We are not interested in warfare with Pakistan,” he said.
He underscored India’s desire to focus on its own development and progress, rather than conflict. “We would much rather be left alone to grow our economy and pull our people into the world they’re getting ready for in the 21st century. We have no desire for anything else. Pakistan, sadly, is a revisionist power that covets territory India controls,” he added.
Tharoor was clear about India’s bottom line: “We are determined now that there’s got to be a new bottom line to this. We have tried everything—international dossiers, complaints, sanctions, diplomacy, joint investigations. Pakistan has remained in denial, with no serious criminal prosecution or dismantling of terror infrastructure. Safe havens persist.”
He stressed that India has exercised its right to self-defense with “precision and restraint” and hopes the world understands this measured response. “We have a right to self-defense. We have exercised that right. We have not done so irresponsibly or in a way that would have warranted a wider conflagration,” he said.
The all-party delegation to the US, Guyana, Panama, Brazil, and Colombia, led by Tharoor, includes members from various political parties and former Indian Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu. Their mission is to project India’s national consensus and firm stance against terrorism, carrying a strong message of zero tolerance to the global community. (ANI)
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