Seoul [India], May 25 (ANI): Congress leader Salman Khurshid, part of an all-party delegation currently in Seoul, asserted that India is now viewed globally as a major power and is “in a different league today.” His comments come in the context of Operation Sindoor and India’s ongoing campaign to build global consensus against terrorism.
Speaking to the Indian diaspora in South Korea, Salman Khurshid emphasized India’s rising stature on the world stage. “The message to the world is that India is in a different league today. They see us as a country that’s emerging as a top country globally,” he said.
Highlighting India’s economic ascent, Khurshid noted, “We have emerged beyond Japan as the fourth-largest economy, and we are going by leaps and bounds.” He stressed the need to safeguard this progress, adding, “This is something we need to protect, and we will protect it. We will not allow anybody to distract us from this purpose.”
Addressing Operation Sindoor—a tri-services military response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians—Khurshid said, “We don’t do things to hurt somebody, we only do things to defend ourselves. The first reaction that the world gave to us was that India has the right to defend itself.”
He further explained that Operation Sindoor precisely targeted only terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. “We didn’t attack any area of Pakistan except the terrorist camps, and we attacked them with precision,” he said. “If they hadn’t attacked us back, we would have stopped there. But when they did, we neutralized the platforms they were using to attack us, including their air bases.”
Khurshid said this action sent a clear message to Pakistan: “You can’t take India on,” which led to Pakistan backing off. However, he cautioned that the situation still requires vigilance, as Operation Sindoor is not yet concluded. “The government has made it clear: we are not putting an end to Operation Sindoor,” he added.
He also stressed India’s broader global mission, stating, “We want to be Vishwa Guru, we want to be Vishwa Mitra—that’s a huge responsibility. We have an enormous responsibility, and therefore, restraint is important.”
Commenting on global reactions to terrorism, Khurshid noted that countries that have suffered from terrorism have become more sympathetic to India’s stance. However, he warned that some still distinguish between militants and terrorists, or between freedom fighters and terrorists, which complicates the international narrative. “It’s very important that our narrative continues,” he said.
The all-party delegation, led by JDU MP Sanjay Kumar Jha, is part of India’s post-Operation Sindoor diplomatic outreach to garner international support and isolate Pakistan for its alleged role in terrorism. Other members include BJP MPs Aparajita Sarangi, Brij Lal, Pradhan Baruah, and Hemang Joshi; CPI(M)’s John Brittas; AITC’s Abhishek Banerjee; and Ambassador Mohan Kumar.
The delegation is visiting key nations, including UN Security Council members and other East Asian countries, to convey India’s policy of zero tolerance toward terrorism. Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, was a calculated military campaign in response to the Pahalgam terror attack and resulted in the elimination of over 100 terrorists affiliated with Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen. (ANI)
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