At his book launch, Tharoor highlights India’s decisive response through Balakot, Operation Sindoor, and rejects claims of US mediation in peace talks with Pakistan.
New Delhi [India], August 20: Senior Congress MP and author Shashi Tharoor has once again underlined India’s uncompromising stand against terrorism in the aftermath of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives. Speaking at the launch of his latest book ‘Whither India-Pakistan Relations Today? Can They Ever Be Good Neighbours?’, Tharoor stressed that New Delhi has made it crystal clear that it will not tolerate any form of terrorism emanating from across the border.
Recalling India’s military response, Tharoor said the country had “no choice” but to act firmly. “A couple of days after Pahalgam, I wrote an op-ed advocating precisely this course of action. You can imagine my satisfaction and semi-disbelief that the government’s response mirrored exactly what I had suggested. With Balakot in 2019 and Operation Sindoor now, India has sent a very clear message — we will not sit quietly if terror is unleashed on us,” he said.
The Congress leader also dismissed the notion that former US President Donald Trump played a role in brokering peace. Instead, he credited Pakistan’s outreach directly to India’s military pressure. “The successful strikes on the night of May 9-10 and India’s swift interception of Pakistan’s attempted missile retaliation on May 10 morning compelled Pakistan’s DGMO to reach out to his Indian counterpart for peace. It had nothing to do with Mr Trump,” he stated firmly.
Looking beyond the conflict, Tharoor said India today stands on the brink of immense opportunities. “If we accept that our nation’s overwhelming objective is the growth, development, and prosperity of our people, then peace and tranquillity at our borders become indispensable. We aspire to become a developed nation by 2047, a leading power in a multipolar world, and the voice of the Global South. But these aspirations will remain hollow if Pakistan continues to needle us at the border,” he warned.
Tharoor recently led a multi-party delegation overseas to present India’s perspective on cross-border terrorism, particularly after Operation Sindoor, which was launched as a retaliatory strike following the horrific Pahalgam terror attack. His efforts, along with India’s military response, underscore the country’s determination to protect its sovereignty and ensure peace for its people.