All-Party Delegation On Op Sindoor Unprecedented Initiative In India’s History, Says Harsh Vardhan Shringla
Harsh Vardhan Shringla, former Foreign Secretary of India, called the Operation Sindoor delegation an 'unprecedented diplomatic initiative'.
In a first-of-its-kind diplomatic initiative, India sent seven all-party parliamentary delegations to 32 countries, delivering a unified national message of zero tolerance for terrorism. The campaign, launched after the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam and India’s subsequent military response under Operation Sindoor, brought together MPs from across the political spectrum to speak in one voice on the global stage.
Harsh Vardhan Shringla, former Foreign Secretary of India and former Ambassador to the US, Bangladesh, and Thailand, called the Operation Sindoor delegation an 'unprecedented diplomatic initiative'.
The delegations, comprising 59 Members of Parliament from parties including the BJP, Congress, AIMIM, DMK, BJD, and Shiv Sena, began their international visits on May 23. They met with political leaders, policymakers, diaspora communities, think tanks, and journalists across continents to project India’s unified stand against terrorism and expose the role of its state sponsors.
“This was an unprecedented initiative in independent India’s history,” Shringla said. “Never before have MPs from such diverse political backgrounds travelled together with a common diplomatic objective.”
Global Reach, United Message
The delegations visited all five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, as well as strategic partners across the Gulf, Europe, North America, and Africa. In Washington D.C., the Indian delegation met U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, discussing counter-terrorism cooperation and bilateral relations. In Brussels, BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad’s group met Peter De Roover, President of the Belgian Chamber of Deputies, who expressed solidarity with India.
Similar high-level meetings were held in Bahrain, Kuwait, the UK, Brazil, Spain, Malaysia, Liberia, South Korea, and elsewhere. In Kuwait, the Indian mission hosted a Diwaniyah—an informal gathering—where over 40 prominent Kuwaitis, including a former deputy prime minister, ex-GCC secretary general, and senior media editors, met the Indian delegation.
The teams conveyed that India seeks peace but not third-party mediation. In Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, delegation leader Baijayant Panda reiterated this position. Opposition MPs, including Asaduddin Owaisi and Ghulam Nabi Azad, also delivered strong messaging. Owaisi described Pakistan’s ideology as aligned with groups like ISIS, while Azad cited Kashmiri protests against Pakistan-backed terrorism for the first time since 1947. DMK MP Kanimozhi and BJP’s Nishikant Dubey underscored that victims of the Pahalgam attack hailed from across India, including Jammu and Kashmir.
Strategic Objectives and Outcomes
According to Shringla, the initiative achieved five strategic goals:
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Unified National Messaging: Cross-party participation helped depoliticise the terrorism debate and lent credibility to India’s position.
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Exposing Pakistan’s Role: The delegations emphasised Islamabad’s involvement in the Pahalgam attack and urged corrective global action, including through the Financial Action Task Force.
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Diplomatic Isolation of Sponsors: By clearly linking terrorists with their state sponsors, India reinforced the call for global accountability.
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Diaspora and Community Engagement: Delegations strengthened people-to-people ties and mobilised international public opinion in India’s favour.
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Diplomatic Blueprint for the Future: The effort laid the groundwork for future parliamentary diplomacy and institutionalised crisis outreach mechanisms.
Apart from high-level meetings, the delegations engaged in press briefings, public discussions, and symbolic events such as candle-lighting ceremonies, creating emotional resonance and broader awareness of India’s position.
“These efforts were not just about international awareness,” Shringla said, “but about building durable coalitions and strategic partnerships anchored in shared values and collective security.”
Road Ahead
As the delegations prepare for follow-up visits, India is expected to enhance operational cooperation with key allies. This may include intelligence-sharing task forces with UNSC members and continued engagement with media and think tanks to sustain narrative momentum.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with members of the delegations earlier this week to review the outcomes. He later posted on social media: “We are all proud of the manner in which they put forward India’s voice.”
The initiative, observers note, marks a new phase in India’s foreign policy — one that fuses government diplomacy with parliamentary consensus to build international alignment on critical issues like terrorism.
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