New Delhi: In a major push to reflect India’s proactive approach to international relations, seven parliamentary delegations are embarking on a comprehensive diplomatic mission spanning 32 countries, culminating at the European Union headquarters in Brussels.
Before their departure, the MPs received a briefing from Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, along with External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal and other senior officials. Sources suggest discussions may touch upon India’s strategic operations, such as the “Sindoor” initiative, intended to expose Pakistan’s role in fostering global terrorism on the international stage.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs oversaw the briefing. The committee comprises a diverse group of MPs, including Shashi Tharoor (Chairperson).
The initiative, following the tragic Pahalgam terror attack, aims to solidify India’s global standing and counter Pakistan’s attempts to deflect blame for terrorism and dominate narratives surrounding Kashmir.
The seven delegations, each led by prominent MPs, will focus on diverse geographic regions and key partnerships. Shiv Sena’s Shrikant Shinde will lead a team visiting the UAE, Liberia, Congo, and Sierra Leone; DMK’s Kanimozhi Karunanidhi heads to Spain, Greece, Slovenia, Latvia, and Russia. Congress’ Shashi Tharoor is tasked with the USA, Panama, Guyana, Colombia, and Brazil; while BJP’s Baijayant Panda visits Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Algeria.
NCP-SP’s Supriya Sule leads a delegation to Egypt, Qatar, Ethiopia, and South Africa. BJP’s Ravi Shankar Prasad heads to the UK, France, Germany, the EU, Italy, and Denmark, and finally, JDU’s Sanjay Jha leads a delegation to Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan, and Singapore.
The meeting was held by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, where the following Members of Parliament were in attendance:
- Shashi Tharoor (Chairperson)
- Sagarika Ghose
- Abhishek Banerjee
- Satnam Singh Sandhu
- Sudhanshu Trivedi
- Asaduddin Owaisi
- Ravi Shankar Prasad
- Naveen Jindal
- Praniti Shinde
- Rajeev Shukla
- Deepender Hooda
- Aparajita Sarangi
- Arun Govil
- A.D. Singh
- Mitesh Patel
- Arvind Sawant
- John Brittas
