Shashi Tharoor among 7 MPs to brief foreign nations on India-Pakistan conflict post Operation Sindoor

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has been named as one of the seven Members of Parliament who will lead India’s diplomatic outreach to key global partners in the aftermath of the India-Pakistan escalation. The initiative, coordinated by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, aims to build international consensus around India’s position following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and the subsequent launch of Operation Sindoor.

Sharing the announcement on X, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said, “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.”

Tharoor’s inclusion in the team is significant, especially after his public endorsement of the government’s military response, which reportedly caused unease among some Congress colleagues. The delegation he is part of will be tasked with conveying India’s stance on terrorism and Pakistan’s role in cross-border militancy to foreign governments.

The seven MPs chosen to lead the delegations include:

• Shashi Tharoor (Congress)

• Ravi Shankar Prasad (BJP)

• Sanjay Kumar Jha (JDU)

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• Baijayant Panda (BJP)

• Kanimozhi Karunanidhi (DMK)

• Supriya Sule (NCP)

• Shrikant Eknath Shinde (Shiv Sena)

In a separate post, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh confirmed that the party had been asked to nominate four MPs for the diplomatic teams. He said that on the morning of May 16, Minister Rijiju spoke to both the Congress President and the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.

The Congress delegation list submitted included:

• 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

Each team will include 5–6 MPs and is expected to visit countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. The diplomatic tour is scheduled to begin after May 22, with invitations to foreign governments already dispatched. Rijiju will oversee the coordination of the mission.

This cross-party outreach follows India’s military retaliation, Operation Sindoor, which targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan following the killing of 26 civilians in the Pahalgam terror attack. Pakistan’s retaliatory drone and missile attacks between May 8 and 10 further intensified the situation, until a ceasefire was agreed upon in DGMO-level talks on May 10.