New Delhi:
The Indian government has announced plans for seven all-party delegations aimed at reinforcing the country’s commitment to a zero-tolerance policy against terrorism, especially in light of recent incidents like the attack in Pahargam. This initiative follows the launch of Operation Sindoah, initiated on May 7th after the deadly assault in Jammu and Kashmir last month.
The delegations will comprise a total of 59 members, including 31 politicians from the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) alongside representatives from other parties. There will also be former diplomats involved to lend their expertise.
Notably participating in these delegations are BJP MPs Baijayant Jay Panda and Ravi Shankar Prasad, alongside Congress’s Shashi Tharoor and Sanjay Jha, as well as members from other parties like Janata Dal United and Shiv Sena. Their itinerary includes visits to 32 countries and the EU headquarters in Brussels, starting May 23rd.
Destinations and Delegations
Group 1: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Algeria
- Baijayant Panda, BJP MP
- Nishikant Dubey, BJP MP
- Phangnon Konyak, BJP MP
- Rekha Sharma, BJP MP
- Asadddin Owaisi, AIMIM MP
- Satnam Singh Sandhu, nominated MP
- Ghulam Nabi Azad, former Union Minister
Group 2: UK, France, Germany, EU, Italy, Denmark
- Ravi Shankar Prasad, BJP MP
- Daggubati Prandeswari, BJP MP
- Priyanka Chaturvedi, Shiv Sena (UBT)
- Ghulam Ali Khatana, nominated MP
- Amar Singh, Congress MP
Group 3: Indonesia, Malaysia, Korea, Japan, Singapore
- Sanjay Kumar Jha, JDU MP
- Aparajita Sarangi, BJP MP
- Yusuf Pathan, Trinamool Congress MP
Group 4: UAE, Liberia, Congo, Sierra Leone
- Shrikant Eknath Shinde, Shiv Sena MP
- Bansuri Swaraj, BJP MP
Group 5: US, Panama, Guyana, Brazil, Colombia
- Shashi Tharoor, Congress MP
- Shambhavi, LJP MP
Group 6: Spain, Greece, Slovenia, Latvia, Russia
- Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, DMK MP
- Rajeev Rai, Samajwadi Party MP
Group 7: Egypt, Qatar, Ethiopia, South Africa
- Supriya Sule, NCP MP
- Rajiv Pratap Rudy, BJP MP
Current Tension with Pakistan
Following the Pahargam attack, which resulted in 26 fatalities, India has identified connections leading back across the border. In response, India has taken military action against identified terror bases, reportedly neutralizing over a hundred militants.
In retaliation, Pakistan has targeted Indian territories with drones and missiles, which were successfully intercepted. After several days of military exchanges, a ceasefire was finally agreed upon on May 10, bringing an end to immediate hostilities.
