An all-party Indian Parliamentary Delegation, led by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, on Thursday had an “excellent meeting” with the United States Vice President J.D. Vance in Washington, briefing him about Operation Sindoor, terrorism faced by India and regional security.
The delegation is on a 2-day visit to the United States as part of India’s global outreach against terrorism following Operation Sindoor.
The Indian Embassy in the United States said, “The All Party Parliamentary Delegation led by Shashi Tharoor called on Vice President J D Vance this morning. The conversation focused on strengthening the India-US partnership including cooperation in counter-terrorism domain.”
Vance was on India visit when the Pahalgam terror attack took place on April 22.
In a strong message of support and solidarity, the US Vice-President had also called Prime Minister Narendra Modi to strongly condemn the terror attack and convey that the United States is ready to provide “all assistance” in the joint fight against terrorism.
After meeting Vance, Tharoor shared on X, “Excellent meeting with Vice President J D Vance today in Washington D.C. with our delegation. We had comprehensive discussions covering a wide array of critical issues, from counter-terrorism efforts to enhancing technological cooperation. A truly constructive and productive exchange for strengthening India-US strategic partnership, with a great meeting of minds.”
Earlier on Thursday, Tharoor spoke with Ambassador Ken Juster at Council on Foreign Relations on India’s fight against terrorism.
The delegation also met Senator Andy Kim, Member of the US Senate Homeland Security Committee.
“The Indian parliamentary delegation led by Shashi Tharoor had a wonderful conversation with Senator Andy Kim, Member of the US Senate Homeland Security Committee, and briefed him on the heinous terrorist attack in Pahalgam, India’s measured and precise response during Operation Sindoor, and our firm resolve to respond swiftly to any such incidents in the future. The conversation also spanned productive areas of cooperation, including entrepreneurship, trade, technology, and counterterrorism!,” said the Indian embassy.
Later, the delegation interacted with members of various think tanks at the Indian Embassy. The conversation focused on India’s fight against terrorism and the multi-faceted India-US partnership.
Tharoor said that the delegation has received solidarity and understanding at everywhere they went.
He reiterated India’s stance that “there will be a price to pay” if terrorist attacks like the one in Pahalgam are carried out in India.
He said, “And I’m very pleased to say that everywhere we went and I could say this quite confidently without exception, we have received both of what we sought. We have received understanding and we have received solidarity. And these two things are really what we came for. We will continue to meet others during the remaining time today and tomorrow. I want to stress one thing, and then I’ll be very happy to open it up for discussions, and that thing is quite simply that this is not something we would really have wanted to spend our time on.”
“We are a country focused on growth and development. Our focus has entirely been on the economic advances that are so essential to pull a few the few people who remain below the poverty line in our country out below that and to take the rest into the developed India of our dreams. But, sadly, when this kind of thing is done to us, and for very cynical motives, which I think are pretty apparent so I won’t spell them out, it was necessary for us to show that we will not allow people to cross the border and kill our citizens with impunity. That for terror strikes like this, which show all the hallmarks of meticulous planning and military style execution, that there will be a price to pay. And that was very strongly the message that we sent,” he added.
Apart from Tharoor, the delegation includes Lok Janshakti Party-Ram Vilas MP Shambhavi Choudhary, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha’s Sarfaraz Ahmad, Shiv Sena’s Milind Murli Deora; BJP’s Shashank Mani Tripathi, Bhubaneswar Kalita, and Tejasvi Surya; and Telugu Desam Party’s GM Harish Balayogi. Former Indian Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, is also accompanying the delegation.
(With inputs from IANS)
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