Brasilia: An all-party parliamentary delegation from India, led by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, arrived in Brazil on Sunday as part of the government’s ongoing diplomatic outreach under Operation Sindoor to consolidate global support against cross-border terrorism and to present India’s zero-tolerance stance on terror.
The delegation, which includes members from across the political spectrum, is on a five-nation tour and reached Brasília after completing visits to Guyana, Panama, and Colombia.
Upon arrival, the team was received at the airport by Sandeep Kumar Kujur, Charge d’Affaires at the Indian mission in Brazil.
Tharoor stated that Brazil is a crucial partner, and it is vital to keep them fully informed of India’s stance on terrorism.
Speaking to IANS, Tharoor said, “We are on a five-country visit. We’ve done three countries already — Guyana, Panama, and Colombia. Now we are in Brazil. Today is a rest day, which the team has earned after a fairly hectic program since we left. We have full-day meetings scheduled in Brazil next, before proceeding to Washington, which is the final leg of our journey.”
Tharoor highlighted the importance of the visit, stating, “Brazil is a major power in the region. It’s a BRICS partner of ours, and our relationship was elevated to a strategic partnership in 2006. Although Brazil is not currently a member of the UN Security Council, we felt it important to keep them fully abreast of our position on terrorism and continue our open channels of dialogue.”
The Congress MP also reflected on the delegation’s reception in earlier stops, noting widespread understanding and support for India’s position.
“Feedback has been very positive in both Guyana and Panama, which are Security Council members. There was tremendous understanding and solidarity for our fight against terror,” he said.
In Colombia, Tharoor mentioned, the delegation successfully persuaded the government to withdraw an earlier statement that had sympathised with Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, without acknowledging the Indian side.
“We met with the government and Parliament. They rectified the statement and instead issued a strong message of support — both from the executive and more emphatically from the legislature,” he said.
During their stay in Brazil, the Indian delegation will hold meetings with several key Brazilian leaders and lawmakers.
The list includes Ambassador Celso Amorim, Head Adviser to the President; Ambassador Maria Laura da Rocha, Secretary General of Foreign Affairs; Senator Nelson Trad, Head of the India-Brazil Friendship Front at the Brazilian Senate; and Federal Deputy Filipe Barros, President of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and National Defense of the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies.
Apart from Tharoor, the delegation includes MPs Shambhavi (Lok Janshakti Party – Ram Vilas), Sarfraz Ahmad (Jharkhand Mukti Morcha), GM Harish Balayogi (Telugu Desam Party), Shashank Mani Tripathi (BJP), Milind Murli Deora (Shiv Sena), Bhubaneswar Kalita (BJP), and Tejasvi Surya (BJP). Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu is accompanying the group.
The visit is a key part of India’s diplomatic strategy to build international consensus and counter-narratives surrounding Pakistan-sponsored cross-border terrorism.
–IANS
