Shashi Tharoor lauds PM on Op Sindoor outreach as a major asset for India
Shashi Tharoor, a Congress MP who has just come back from an outreach mission to five countries for India’s Operation Sindoor regarding Pakistan, has once again publicly lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Tharoor referred to PM Modi as a “prime asset for India” in a column in The Hindu, citing his “energy, dynamism and willingness.”
In a column, Congress’s Kerala MP noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s energy, dynamism, and willingness to engage are invaluable assets for India internationally, but these traits need more support. He emphasized that the outreach demonstrated India’s unity on the global stage.
He added that, during the outreach, he discovered that India could navigate an “increasingly complex international landscape” by relying on the “power of unity, the efficacy of clear communication, the strategic value of soft power, and the imperative of sustained public diplomacy.”
He noted that the three T’s—tech, trade, and tradition—ought to guide India’s future global strategy as the country works towards a “more just, secure, and prosperous world”.
A Congress veteran, whose involvement in the Operation Sindoor outreach ignited a heated exchange between Congress and BJP, stated that the mission’s main aim was to provide clarity on the matter. Since Tharoor praised the, he has been under fire from his party.
In his column, Shashi Tharoor emphasized that India’s actions were a legitimate act of self-defence, undertaken in response to ongoing cross-border terrorism. “We meticulously articulated this position, and the success of our narrative was evident in the perceptible shift in sentiment across several global capitals,” he noted.
Shashi Tharoor highlighted a key moment during his diplomatic outreach, particularly addressing Colombia’s initial reaction to Operation Sindoor. The South American nation had expressed condolences for casualties in Pakistan, a move Tharoor firmly challenged. Following his intervention, Colombia retracted its statement, with Tharoor asserting that there can be no moral equivalence between terrorists and a nation defending itself.
“This episode underscored that facts—presented with patience and persistence—can overcome initial misunderstandings or even deliberate disinformation,” the Kerala MP added.
Another “equally critical” component of India’s global engagement, Tharoor wrote, was emphasizing Pakistan’s ongoing links to terrorism. Recalling his delegation’s visit to the United States, he noted that even as a Pakistani delegation was present in Washington, D.C., American officials echoed India’s concerns.
“US representatives, including those who had engaged with their Pakistani counterparts, voiced support for firm action against terror outfits like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed,” Tharoor wrote, subtly referencing the competing narratives presented in Washington.
He concluded by stating that India’s message—grounded in verifiable evidence and unwavering diplomacy—was resonating, cutting through geopolitical noise and reinforcing the legitimacy of India’s stance on terrorism.
His comments during the outreach drew harsh rebuke from his Congress colleagues, particularly after he dismissed the surgical strikes carried out during the UPA era while commending the Modi administration’s management of the situation. However, the veteran responded sharply and charged that the “critics and trolls” misrepresented his views, emphasizing that he had “better things to do”.
His most recent commendation of the Prime Minister follows his admission of differences with Congress leadership, although he minimized any suggestion of a divide with the leadership or cadre.
After finishing the global outreach of Operation Sindoor, Tharoor met with PM Modi at Modi’s residence on June 11. The Prime Minister also met with seven multi-party delegations who were assigned the same task.