Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who is leading an all-party Indian delegation on a diplomatic world tour to focus on Operation Sindoor, dismissed vehemently US President Donald Trump's assertions of facilitating peace talks between India and Pakistan.
Addressing the delegation during their halt in Brazil, Tharoor pointed out that India never supported third-party intervention for calling off hostilities.
No one had to convince us to desist," Tharoor said. "India had already taken its position. If there was any persuasion involved, it would have been with Pakistan. We did not want war.
Tharoor's observations squarely contradict Trump's frequent claims that his involvement prevented a large-scale nuclear war. The ex-U.S. president had taken credit for facilitating a ceasefire between New Delhi and Islamabad and even claimed he provided enhanced trade incentives to both nations in return for ending the war.
In retort, Tharoor emphasized India's historic policy of taking its problems bilaterally and reaffirmed that the de-escalation of the conflict took place through normal communication between Indian and Pakistani military commanders — namely through an exchange between the Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs).
India's Clear Message on Operation Sindoor
Reiterating India's stand, Tharoor asserted that Operation Sindoor, initiated on May 7, was not a warm-up to war but a surgical counter-terror mission. "It was revenge against terrorism — nothing more. Had Pakistan not retaliated militarily, India would not have retaliated either," he made clear.
He admitted India's respect for the U.S. presidency but insisted that "our reading is a bit different" from what was being touted by Trump.
Next Stop: Washington, for Diplomatic Confrontation
After ending its Brazil tour, the Indian team is now traveling to Washington D.C. for a diplomatic encounter that is likely to involve a public meeting with a Pakistani team headed by PPP leader Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.
Indian side has BJP MP Bhubaneshwar Kalita, Shiv Sena-UBT's Milind Deora, and Taranjit Singh Sandhu, who is India's erstwhile Ambassador to the U.S. For Pakistan, the team comprises former ministers and ambassadors like Hina Rabbani Khar, Sherry Rehman, Khurram Dastgir Khan, Jalil Abbas Jilani, and Tehmina Janjua.
The two delegations are likely to outline their respective nations' stances on terrorism, regional stability, and the lingering repercussions of Operation Sindoor, in what might be a tightly observed diplomatic showdown.
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