New Delh: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor expressed disappointment with the Colombian government over its response to India’s Operation Sindoor, firmly stating that there can be “no equivalence” between India and Pakistan when it comes to terrorism. Speaking during a press conference in Colombia on Thursday (local time), Tharoor criticized Bogotá’s earlier expression of condolences over Pakistani casualties following India’s retaliatory strikes on May 7, rather than acknowledging the victims of terrorism in India.
Tharoor’s comments came as part of a broader outreach campaign, with his delegation visiting Panama, Guyana, and Colombia to present India’s perspective on terrorism and counter Pakistan’s narrative in the global arena. Addressing local media in Colombia, Tharoor emphasized that India was merely exercising its right to self-defence following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. “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,” he said.
Reiterating India’s stance, Tharoor stated, “There can be no equivalence between those who dispatch terrorists and those who resist them. There can be no equivalence between those who attack and those who defend.” He added that India was open to detailed discussions with Colombian authorities to clarify the context of Operation Sindoor and correct any misunderstandings. “We hope that other governments will also urge those providing safe havens to terrorists to stop doing so, whether in the UN Security Council or elsewhere,” he noted.
Highlighting the claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack by The Resistance Front—a proxy of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba—Tharoor drew a parallel between India’s suffering from terrorism and Colombia’s own experience with violent insurgencies. “Just as Colombia has endured many terror attacks, so have we in India, for nearly four decades,” he said.
Tharoor also raised concerns over Pakistan’s increasing dependence on Chinese military support, stating that China now supplies 81% of Pakistan’s defence equipment. “Much of this equipment is not for defence but for attack,” he warned. The Congress MP further pointed to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship project under China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which he described as having strategic implications far beyond economic development. “Our issue is not with Pakistan’s development but with the use of its territory to perpetuate terror against India,” he said.
His remarks also come amid Colombia’s recent decision on May 14 to formally join China’s Belt and Road Initiative, signaling Bogotá’s intention to deepen ties with Beijing. Tharoor’s statements subtly warned of the broader geopolitical implications of aligning with a power that heavily arms Pakistan and supports infrastructure projects that could indirectly affect India’s security environment.
In sum, Tharoor’s visit to Colombia underscored India’s firm stance on terrorism, its right to self-defence, and its diplomatic effort to ensure global clarity on the context and necessity of Operation Sindoor.
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