Shashi Tharoor among MPs to brief nations on India-Pakistan conflict and on Operation Sindoor
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma opposes inclusion of Gaurav Gogoi in such parliamentary members' panels.
On his post on 'X' urging Rahul Gandhi not to include a Congress MP from Assam in the delegation visiting different countries from across parties after #OperationSindoor, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said : "The delegation is to visit various countries against Pakistan. The entire idea of sending the delegation is to expose Pakistan, but this MP from Assam has never criticised Pakistan, even during the peak of the conflict. He posted only indirectly...
"We have information that he visited Pakistan; he didn't deny that. We have evidence that a Pakistani NGO pays the MP's wife for at least 2 years, and that NGO has close relations with the ISI. How can that MP go outside the country and expose Pakistan when he himself is involved with that country? Hence, I have requested Rahul Gandhi not to include that MP in the delegation."
In the 1990s, P V Narasimha Rao had deputed Atal Bihari Vajpayee to lead the Indian delegation at the UN for a debate and voting on Kashmir.
Kanimozhi Karunanidhi (DMK) and Supriya Sule (NCP-Sharad Pawar) also in the team.
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor will lead one of the seven All-Party Delegations of Members of Parliament tasked with briefing key foreign governments on the recent India-Pakistan conflict.
"I am honoured by the invitation of the government of India to lead an all-party delegation to five key capitals, to present our nation's point of view on recent events. When national interest is involved, and my services are required,
I will not be found wanting. Jai Hind!" Tharoor said.
The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs announced the names of the leaders who will represent India in its diplomatic outreach following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and India’s retaliatory Operation Sindoor.
Tharoor’s inclusion in the delegation comes after he publicly backed Operation Sindoor. His remarks in support of the government's military action reportedly caused internal friction and some Congress leaders expressed disapproval.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju put forward a crucial message -
"In moments that matter most, Bharat stands united".
"Seven All-Party Delegations will soon visit key partner nations, carrying our shared message of zero-tolerance to terrorism.
A powerful reflection of national unity above politics, beyond differences".
Alongside Tharoor, the other MPs leading the delegations include:
Ravi Shankar Prasad (BJP)
Sanjay Kumar Jha (JDU)
Baijayant Panda (BJP)
Kanimozhi Karunanidhi (DMK)
Supriya Sule (NCP)
Shrikant Eknath Shinde (Shiv Sena)
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that on the morning of May 16, Minister Rijiju spoke with the Congress President and the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. Congress was asked to submit the names of four MPs for the delegations.
Ramesh further said that the Leader of the Opposition had formally 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.
Sources have said that each delegation will consist of 5–6 MPs and will travel to countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, South Africa, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.
The tour is expected to begin after May 22, with invitations already sent out.
The Barak-8, developed jointly by India's DRDO and Israel Aerospace Industries, has a range of 70–80 km (with longer-range variants under development) and can neutralise aircraft, UAVs, cruise missiles, and even ballistic threats. The supersonic speed, rapid reaction capability, and dual radar guidance system of Barak-8 make it a cornerstone of India's air defence.
Of course, India's own BrahMos devastated Pakistani targetsat the same time; India's defence systems ensured enemy retaliation attempts failed.
On May 8 and 9, Pakistan launched swarm drone attacks and even fired its Fateh-2 guided rockets targeting Indian installations.
These were intercepted by a multi-layered missile defence shield comprising the Barak-8 medium-range surface-to-air missile (MR-SAM), Akashteer systems, and the Russian S-400 air defence system.
Akashteer: India's indigenous answer to aerial threats
Akashteer, a medium-range surface-to-air missile developed under India's Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP), also played a key role. Once plagued by delays, the Akashteer system has now become a trusted asset of both the Army and Air Force.
During Operation Sindoor, the Akashteer — particularly the newer Akash NG variant with extended range and improved performance — intercepted multiple drone swarms and missile threats.
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