May 17, 2025
2 mins read

Tharoor to lead India’s anti-terror outreach

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has accepted government’s invitation to lead India’s anti-terror diplomatic delegations abroad, despite being excluded from Congress’s official list amid party disagreements over the initiative.

Congress MP and former diplomat Shashi Tharoor has expressed gratitude to the Indian government for selecting him to lead a diplomatic outreach delegation following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack, even as his own party distanced itself from his inclusion.

Tharoor said he was “honoured” to be chosen to represent India internationally, despite not being one of the names the Congress party officially proposed to the government for the mission. “When national interest is involved, and my services are required, I will not be found wanting. Jai Hind,” he wrote on social media platform X.

The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs named Tharoor among a seven-member team of MPs tasked with visiting global capitals to counter Pakistan’s narrative after the April 22 attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed 26 people. Others in the delegation include BJP leaders Ravi Shankar Prasad and Baijayant Panda, JD(U)’s Sanjay Kumar Jha, DMK’s Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, NCP (SP)’s Supriya Sule, and Shiv Sena’s Shrikant Eknath Shinde.

The initiative marks a rare bipartisan effort to bolster India’s diplomatic messaging on terrorism. The delegations are scheduled to travel to the United States, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, South Africa, Egypt, and Japan to brief foreign leaders on the Pahalgam incident and India’s counterterrorism operation, ‘Operation Sindoor’.

The Congress party, however, moved quickly to clarify that Tharoor was not among its nominated MPs. In a post on X, party general secretary Jairam Ramesh said that Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi had submitted four names to the Centre: Anand Sharma, Gaurav Gogoi, Syed Naseer Hussain, and Raja Brar.

“Yesterday morning, the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, spoke with the Congress President… By noon, Rahul Gandhi had sent the list of Congress MPs to the Centre,” Ramesh noted, implying that Tharoor’s inclusion was not authorised by the party.

The development has reignited internal tensions within the Congress. Tharoor has recently drawn criticism from party colleagues for his public praise of the Modi government’s handling of Operation Sindoor, which targeted terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan-occupied areas.

Still, Tharoor’s appointment is being seen as an affirmation of his diplomatic credentials and international stature. He previously served as an Under-Secretary-General at the United Nations and remains a prominent voice in India’s foreign affairs discourse.

The government’s decision to push ahead with a multi-party diplomatic campaign signals a broader intent to present a unified national front on global counterterrorism efforts—even as domestic political differences remain unresolved.

Previous Story

Kim urges constant war preparedness

Next Story

Pope Leo to take charge of Catholic Church

Latest from -Top News

India’s Growth Defies West Asia Tensions

The deepening crisis in West Asia, particularly between Israel and Iran, has had little to no visible impact on India’s economic trajectory or its export performance….reports Asian Lite News The limited trade

FM Sitharaman Embarks on Three-Nation Tour

She is leading the Indian delegation from the Department of Economic Affairs under the Ministry of Finance….reports Asian Lite News Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman commenced her official visit to Spain, Portugal,

Araghchi: Hold US, Israel Accountable

The Iranian foreign minister emphasised that the UNSC should hold the “aggressors” accountable and act to prevent the recurrence of such “crimes.”…reports Asian Lite News Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi urged

Jaishankar Heads to US for Quad Talks

EAM Jaishankar will be inaugurating an exhibition titled, “The Human Cost of Terrorism” at the United Nations Headquarters, New York on June 30….reports Asian Lite News External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar
Go toTop

Don't Miss

India’s deepest strikes since 1971 

By extending its strike capabilities deep into Pakistan’s heartland, India

Pakistan’s Terror Link “No Secret”: Bilawal Bhutto

Zardari stated that Pakistan’s intelligence services have since changed course