Tharoor Slams Colombia for Response to Operation Sindoor
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, currently leading an Indian parliamentary delegation to Latin America, has strongly criticized the Colombian government’s reaction to India’s Operation Sindoor. Speaking from Bogotá, Tharoor said the Indian delegation was disappointed that Colombia expressed condolences for lives lost in Pakistan following Indian strikes, instead of focusing on the victims of terrorism in India.
“We were a little disappointed in the reaction of the Colombian government, which apparently expressed heartfelt condolences on the loss of lives in Pakistan after the Indian strikes, rather than sympathising with the victims of terrorism,” Tharoor said.
He reminded international observers that India’s actions followed the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, which killed 26 Indian civilians. Tharoor emphasized that India was well within its rights to exercise self-defense in targeting the perpetrators across the border.
Operation Sindoor and Its Justification
Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, was a targeted military operation against terror camps and infrastructure inside Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. It followed mounting evidence of Pakistan-based terror groups’ involvement in cross-border strikes, including the Pahalgam massacre.
Tharoor made it clear that India’s action was not aggression, but a proportional and strategic response aimed at neutralizing terror threats. He reiterated India’s longstanding position that there can be no moral equivalence between a sovereign state’s defensive actions and the acts of those who orchestrate terror across borders.
India’s Diplomatic Outreach in Latin America
Tharoor’s delegation is part of a 33-country outreach effort aimed at strengthening India’s diplomatic engagement and clarifying its stance on counter-terrorism. Apart from Colombia, the delegation has already visited Guyana and Panama. In each country, the MPs have met with local leaders, think tanks, and media outlets to discuss India’s security concerns and underline the international nature of terrorism.
He also raised concerns about China’s supply of military equipment to Pakistan, questioning whether such tools were truly for defense or for aiding offensive operations against India.
Tharoor’s firm rebuttal in Colombia underscores India’s determination to shape global narratives around terrorism and reinforce its legitimacy in responding to cross-border threats.
