Shashi Tharoor among 7 MPs to brief nations on India-Pakistan conflict
Shashi Tharoor among 7 MPs to brief nations on India-Pakistan conflict
M.U.H
17/05/20258
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has been selected to lead one of the seven all-party delegations of MPs that the government plans to send abroad to brief key foreign governments on the recent India-Pakistan conflict and India’s stance on the issue. The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs announced on Saturday the names of the leaders who will represent India in its diplomatic outreach following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and the subsequent Indian retaliatory operation, Operation Sindoor.
Tharoor's name as an MP to lead the delegation comes as he publicly backed the government's handling of the India-Pakistan flare-up and Operation Sindoor. His remarks in support of the government's military action reportedly caused internal friction and some Congress leaders expressed disapproval.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, announcing the names, stressed, "In moments that matter most, Bharat stands united". "Seven All-Party Delegations will soon visit key partner nations, carrying our shared message of zero-tolerance to terrorism. A powerful reflection of national unity above politics, beyond differences," he tweeted.
Alongside Tharoor, the other MPs leading the delegations include:
Ravi Shankar Prasad (BJP)
Sanjay Kumar Jha (JDU)
Baijayant Panda (BJP)
Kanimozhi Karunanidhi (DMK)
Supriya Sule (NCP)
Shrikant Eknath Shinde (Shiv Sena)
An India Today commentator recently recommended such a global outreach mission and argued why Shashi Tharoor and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi must be deployed for the same. The two leaders are an ideal combination to sharpen India's narrative wars. Tharoor's Oxford-honed eloquence can dismantle Pakistan's post-ceasefire mirage, while Owaisi, the Cambridge-trained barrister, is the wildcard. Unleashing them wouldn't just be strategic but a masterstroke of optics, signalling Pakistan and the world that India's political spectrum, from saffron to green, stands united.
Tharoor, responding to the announcement, said he was "honoured by the invitation" from the government, adding, "When national interest is involved, and my services are required, I will not be found wanting".
Meanwhile, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that Minister Rijiju had spoken with Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, regarding the matter. The Congress was then asked to submit the names of four MPs for the delegations.
Ramesh further said that the Leader of the Opposition had formally submitted the following names:
Anand Sharma, former Union Cabinet Minister
Gaurav Gogoi, Deputy Leader, INC, Lok Sabha
Dr. Syed Naseer Hussain, Rajya Sabha MP
Raja Brar, Lok Sabha MP.
Sources have said that each delegation will consist of 5–6 MPs and will travel to countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, South Africa, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. The foreign tour is expected to begin after May 22, with invitations already sent out.
This move is part of India’s diplomatic push to highlight Pakistan’s role in cross-border terrorism and to build international consensus. Rijiju is overseeing the coordination of the tour.
The outreach follows the deadly Pahalgam terror attack, which left 26 civilians dead. In retaliation, India launched Operation Sindoor, targeting terror infrastructure across the border. Pakistan attempted drone strikes in response, escalating tensions before both nations agreed to de-escalate on May 10 following military-level talks.
