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Shashi Tharoor and six other MPs play key roles in Operation Sindoor, a strategic outreach initiative aimed at bolstering national unity and engagement.
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has been appointed to head one of the seven multi-party parliamentary delegations that the government will dispatch to foreign nations. These delegations are tasked with briefing key international governments on the recent escalation in India-Pakistan tensions and presenting India’s official position on the matter. The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs released the list of delegation leaders on Saturday, as part of a diplomatic effort following the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam and India’s subsequent response under Operation Sindoor.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, while revealing the list of delegates, emphasized the importance of national solidarity: “In critical times, Bharat speaks with one voice.” He added that seven multi-party delegations will soon travel to key partner nations to convey India’s united stance and unwavering zero-tolerance policy against terrorism. “This initiative is a strong symbol of unity that rises above political lines,” he noted in a tweet.
In addition to Tharoor, the delegations are led by several other Members of Parliament, including Ravi Shankar Prasad (BJP), Sanjay Kumar Jha (JDU), Baijayant Panda (BJP), Kanimozhi Karunanidhi (DMK), Supriya Sule (NCP), and Shrikant Eknath Shinde (Shiv Sena).
A recent India Today analysis proposed a bold diplomatic initiative—deploying Shashi Tharoor and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi as India’s ambassadors in the global battle of narratives. Tharoor, with his Oxford-polished rhetoric, is well-suited to challenge Pakistan’s carefully curated ceasefire optics. Meanwhile, Owaisi, a Cambridge-educated legal mind, brings an unexpected edge to the equation. Together, they form a compelling duo—one rooted in diverse ideologies but united in national interest. Strategically, this move would send a powerful visual and political message: that India’s democratic spectrum, from saffron to green, speaks in one voice when it comes to national sovereignty and global perception.
According to reports by news agency PTI, Shashi Tharoor is expected to spearhead India’s diplomatic outreach to the United States, one of the world’s most influential nations.
Meanwhile, a delegation led by Ravi Shankar Prasad is scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Algeria. Another team, headed by Supriya Sule, will engage with counterparts in Oman, Kenya, South Africa, and Egypt.
The delegation, led by Sanjay Jha, is expected to visit key countries including Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia, and Indonesia—all nations with significant Muslim populations. Each group, comprising six to seven Members of Parliament, will likely tour four to five countries during the mission.
The delegations will include representatives from a wide range of political parties, featuring Members of Parliament such as Anurag Thakur, Aparajita Sarangi, Manish Tewari, Asaduddin Owaisi, Amar Singh, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Samik Bhattacharya, Brij Lal, Sarfaraz Ahmad, Priyanka Chaturvedi, Vikramjit Sawhney, Sasmit Patra, and Bhubaneswar Kalita.
Although not a Member of Parliament, former Union Minister and senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid has been included in the delegation led by Jha. The government had also extended an invitation to Trinamool Congress MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay to participate in the outreach efforts, but he declined citing health concerns.
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Reacting to the announcement, Tharoor expressed his appreciation, stating he was “honoured to receive the government’s invitation.” He added, “Whenever the national interest is at stake and my contribution is needed, I will always be ready to serve.” Speaking about the list of names submitted for the delegation, he said, “We were asked to submit four names, which we did. However, I cannot speak for the individual decisions of others.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh stated that Minister Rijiju had been in communication with Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, about the issue. Following this, the Congress party was requested to provide the names of four MPs to participate in the delegations.
Ramesh further stated that the Leader of the Opposition has officially submitted the following names:
- 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
According to sources, each delegation will comprise 5 to 6 MPs who are scheduled to visit countries including the United States, United Kingdom, South Africa, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. The foreign tour is anticipated to commence after May 22, with invitations already dispatched.
The outreach comes in the wake of the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians. In response, India launched Operation Sindoor, targeting terrorist infrastructure across the border. Pakistan retaliated with attempted drone strikes, further heightening tensions. However, both countries agreed to de-escalate on May 10 following military-level discussions.
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