Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Thursday asserted that the Indian delegation’s message on terrorism was clearly understood by US Vice President JD Vance, particularly regarding the futility of any proposed mediation between India and Pakistan.
Speaking from Washington, Tharoor—who leads Group 5 of the all-party delegation advocating India’s stance abroad—emphasized that mediation would imply an unacceptable equivalence between “terrorists and their victims.” He said, “Our meeting with VP Vance was unequivocal. Mediation assumes parity between two sides, and there is no parity here. Vance understood this clearly, as did others across the US administration.”
Responding to the parallel visit of a Pakistani delegation to the US, Tharoor downplayed its impact, noting that while some members of the Pakistani team posted updates on social media, there was no public endorsement or support from American officials they engaged with. “We’ve seen their tweets about meetings, but no public statements from US counterparts expressing appreciation for Pakistan,” he pointed out.
Tharoor highlighted India’s more extensive and higher-level engagement in the US, saying, “Whether it was meetings with Senators, Congressmen, or administration officials, our schedule was stronger. We’ve made our case effectively.”
Asked about differing opinions within the Congress party, Tharoor said internal discussions would be held later. “That will happen once we’re back. As of now, I haven’t received any direct communication. Much of what I’ve seen is media speculation. But I believe the country is united, and that unity was clearly reflected in our delegation.”
Summing up the five-day diplomatic effort, Tharoor called the outreach a success. “We had meaningful discussions, established top-level contacts, and achieved clarity in outcomes. Our message regarding Pahalgam and Operation Sindoor was well communicated, and India’s global standing reaffirmed.”
