The all-party delegation is scheduled to visit important partner countries, including permanent and non-permanent members of the UNSC.
NEW DELHI: Following a ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan, which effectively halted all military activities between the two nations, the Indian Government has now resolved to send a seven-member all-party delegation to several key partner countries. The primary objective of this diplomatic mission is to apprise these important nations of the actions undertaken by India against Pakistan in the context of cross-border terrorism. These delegations will comprise members of parliament from various political parties, notable political figures, and seasoned diplomats, including members of the UN Security Council.
With this move, India is launching a comprehensive diplomatic campaign aimed at unmasking Pakistan’s persistent support for terrorism at the international level. Credible sources reveal that approximately 35-40 multi-party parliamentarians will be organized into seven groups and dispatched to different global regions. The primary goal of this initiative is to inform the world community about Pakistan’s continued backing of terrorism and to spotlight India’s recently initiated Operation Sindoor.
This seven-delegation features leaders and MPs from multiple parties. These delegations will be led by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad, JDU’s Sanjay Kumar Jha, BJP’s Baijayant Panda, DMK leader Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule, and Shiv Sena’s Shrikant Eknath Shinde.
The all-party delegation is scheduled to visit important partner countries, including permanent and non-permanent members of the UN Security Council, later this month to present India’s position on Operation Sindoor and its ongoing fight against cross-border terrorism.
Additionally, several opposition MPs, including Manish Tewari, Priyanka Chaturvedi, and Sasmit Patra, have also been invited to participate in the campaign. The delegations are composed of representatives from a wide range of political parties, featuring names such as Anurag Thakur, Aparajita Sarangi, Asaduddin Owaisi, Amar Singh, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Samik Bhattacharya, Brij Lal, Sarfaraz Ahmad, Vikramjit Sawhney, and Bhubaneswar Kalita.
In addition, former Union Minister and Congress leader Salman Khurshid—despite not being an MP—has been included in the delegation. The government had also invited Trinamool Congress MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay, but he declined due to health concerns.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju is overseeing the coordination of this international outreach initiative, marking a notable advancement in India’s diplomatic engagements. The ten-day tour is slated to commence on May 23, with the parliamentary groups expected to visit major global capitals, including Washington D.C., London, Abu Dhabi, Johannesburg, and Tokyo. This marks the first time that the Indian government is deploying a multi-party parliamentary delegation to communicate the nation’s stand on Kashmir and cross-border terrorism perpetrated by Pakistan.
Earlier on Saturday, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju posted a message on his X account (formerly Twitter), highlighting this national endeavour. He wrote, “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.”
The delegation led by Ravi Shankar Prasad is set to visit Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Algeria. Supriya Sule’s group will travel to Oman, Kenya, South Africa, and Egypt, while Sanjay Jha’s team is expected to cover Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia, and Indonesia — all countries with significant Muslim populations.
AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisisaid that his group would be led by Baijayant Jay Panda. Others in the group include Nishikant Dubey, Phangnon Konyak, Rekha Sharma, Satnam Singh Sandhu, and Ghulam Nabi Azad. Their visit will likely cover the UK, France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, and Denmark.
Owaisi emphasized that the delegation’s role is to present evidence of Pakistan’s attempts to destabilize India and highlight the human cost of terrorism. “We represent India and will explain how our people suffer—how women are widowed, children orphaned, and soldiers killed. We’ll share the Indian government’s vision and the ground realities,” he said.
Shashi Tharoor has also accepted the government’s proposal saying, when national interest is involved, and my services are required, I will not be found wanting. He wrote on his post that “I am honoured by the invitation of the government of India to lead an all-party delegation to five key capitals, to present our nation’s point of view on recent events. When national interest is involved, and my services are required, I will not be found wanting.
On the other hand Congress General Secretary and Communications in-charge Jairam Ramesh criticized the government, accusing it of acting with a “mischievous mindset” and “playing games.” He asserted that no name should be added to official delegations without first consulting the Congress party, particularly when names had already been submitted in good faith.
Alongside Shashi Tharoor, the government also included Salman Khurshid and Manish Tewari in the delegation — none of whom were on the list provided by Congress. The party made it clear that only those it officially recommended should be considered as its representatives.
Speaking to the media, Ramesh said the Congress had recommended four individuals — Anand Sharma, Gaurav Gogoi, Syed Naseer Hussain, and Raja Brar — following a conversation between Union Minister Kiren Rijiju and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, as well as Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Friday morning. He avoided addressing the exclusion of Tharoor directly, despite being asked multiple times.
When asked about Tharoor’s inclusion, Jairam Ramesh avoided a direct answer, stating the party had already submitted its four names and remarking, “There’s a difference between being in the Congress and truly belonging to it,” hinting at Tharoor. He said the Congress was asked to suggest four MPs for delegations explaining India’s stance on terrorism from Pakistan, and the list was sent by Friday noon. While the party won’t revise the list, it also won’t take action against those added by the government without consultation.