Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who is leading an all-party Indian Parliamentary delegation now in the United States, cautioned that there will be a backlash for conducting terror attacks like the one on April 22 in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.
He stressed that India will not allow cross-border militants to kill its citizens with impunity.
The Tharoor-led delegation met with different think tanks at the US Embassy on Thursday. The meetings showcased India's struggle against terrorism and the multiplicity of the India-US relationship, according to a post on the social media site X by the Indian Embassy.
Besides Shashi Tharoor, the delegation includes Shambhavi Chaudhary of the Lok Janshakti Party, Sarfaraz Ahmed of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, G.M. Harish Balayogi of the Telugu Desam Party, and BJP's Shashank Mani Tripathi, Tejasvi Surya, and Bhubaneswar Kalita, and former Indian Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu and Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora.
In their encounter with young professionals and think tanks, Tharoor said the delegation found at every place they went, understanding and solidarity.
He repeated India's strong view that "there will be a price to pay" for terror strikes like the one in Pahalgam.
Tharoor said, "And I'm very happy to say that wherever we went and I could say this quite confidently without exception, we have gotten both of what we looked for. We have gotten understanding and we have gotten solidarity. And these two things are actually what we came for. We will go on to meet others in the rest of the time today and tomorrow.". I would like to emphasize one point, and then I would be more than glad to lay it open to discussion, and that point is simply this, that this is not something we would necessarily have wanted to spend our time on.
He added, "We are a growth and development country.". Our attention has all along been on the economic progress which is so vital to lift a few of the few individuals still beneath the poverty line in our nation above that and to bring the rest to the developed India of our hopes. But, unfortunately, when it is done to us, and for thoroughly cynical reasons, which I believe are rather obvious so I will not set them out, then it was necessary for us to demonstrate that we will not tolerate people coming over the border and murdering our citizens with impunity. And that for terror attacks of this sort, which bear all the signs of careful planning and military precision in execution, there will be a cost. And that was very forcefully the message that we conveyed.
Earlier, the Indian delegation headed by Tharoor met US Vice-President J.D. Vance, during which they had detailed discussions covering counter-terrorism and enhancing technological collaboration.
Tharoor tweeted on X, "Superb meeting with Vice-President J.D. Vance today in Washington D.C. with our delegation. We had wide-ranging discussions on a full gamut of key issues, ranging from counter-terrorism initiatives to cooperation in technology. A genuinely constructive & productive dialogue for deepening India-US strategic partnership, with an excellent meeting of minds."
BJP lawmaker Tejasvi Surya also posted on X, "Met US Vice-President J.D. Vance today in Washington DC and members of the All-Party Delegation to the Americas today. VP Vance also saw firsthand during his recent India visit the ferocity of Pakistan-sponsored attacks on innocent civilians, highlighting the importance of international action to stop Pakistani terror.". Participated in discussions about key matters from India's robust counterterrorism policies under PM Narendra Modi to promoting technological collaboration between Bharat and the US.
Tharoor also stated on X, "Yesterday, a wonderfully positive meeting with the #IndiaCaucus leadership.". US Congressman Andy Barr, co-vice-Chair of India Caucus (Republican); Congressman Rich McCormick, co-Chair of India Caucus (Republican), Representative Ro Khanna, co-Chair of India Caucus (Democrat); and Representative Mark Veasey, co-vice-Chair of India Caucus (Democrat). Great conversations with the Congressional India Caucus today! Our delegation is thankful for their resolute bipartisan support for enhancing the India-US strategic partnership. Useful exchanges on common priorities & promoting mutual interests. It's heartening to witness such widespread bipartisan agreement on the significance of the India-US relationship. We eagerly await further building upon this positive momentum!
" BJP MP Shashank Mani Tripathi posted on X regarding their public outreach at the Willard hotel, stating, "Our public outreach at the Willard hotel was an outstanding success.". With more than 350 individuals attending the event, it provided an avenue for us to interact with the Indian Diaspora, which had come up in all meetings this morning on the Capitol Hill. Since others had discussed Operation Sindoor at length, I emphasized the potential for economic and geopolitical alignment of the two countries using the Diaspora as drivers.
I also urged the Diaspora to participate in Viksit Bharat that will provide them and their children a link to India, so vital to our relationship."
The delegation reached the US after finishing their visit to Brazil.
This diplomatic initiative is part of India's broader global outreach after Operation Sindoor, a military response initiated on May 7 in response to the April 22 terror attack by Pakistan-backed militants in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives and left several injured.
Thereafter, the Indian security forces went on to strike terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and killed more than 100 terrorists affiliated with outfits such as Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen.
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