Their shared brief: To assert India's case with clarity, rebut hostile narratives, and secure enduring partnerships for global counter-terror cooperation.
India is mounting a comprehensive diplomatic campaign to counter global misinformation and reiterate its zero-tolerance stance on terrorism.
Following the brutal April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 civilians, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 -- its most extensive cross-border strike since Balakot -- targeting terror infrastructure across the Line of Control.
To build global consensus and communicate the rationale behind Operation Sindoor, India plans to dispatch seven bipartisan delegations comprising 59 individuals -- including MPs, former ministers, diplomats, and public figures -- to over 32 nations.
Operating under the theme 'One Mission, One Message, One Bharat,' these delegations aim to frame India's response not as communal retaliation but as a measured act of national security.
Their mission is to explain the strategic necessity of the strikes, counter Pakistani propaganda, and urge international action against transnational terrorism and its funding networks.
The first of these delegations that left India on Wednesday, led by BJP National Vice-President Baijayant 'Jay' Panda, will tour Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and Algeria.
Baijayant 'Jay' Panda
A technocrat-turned-politician, Panda began his political career in 2000 with Odisha's Biju Janata Dal, representing the Kendrapara Lok Sabha constituency. In 2018, he resigned from the BJD, citing 'irreconcilable ideological differences', and joined the BJP in 2019.
As delegation leader, Panda's agenda includes strengthening energy partnerships and mobilising Gulf support for India's United Nations Security Council bid. Analysts view his appointment as a nod to his diplomatic acumen, though Opposition leaders caution against 'mixing corporate interests with national security'.
Nishikant Dubey
A three-term BJP MP from Jharkhand's Godda constituency, Dubey, a lawyer by training, entered politics in 2009. Known for shooting off his mouth -- remember his fracas with the TMC's Mahua Moitra and the more recent criticism of the Supreme Court for exceeding its brief? -- Dubey is nevertheless expected to add heft to the BJP's global outreach.
Phangnon Konyak
The first woman Rajya Sabha MP from Nagaland in 2022, nominated by the BJP as part of its North East outreach. A member of the Konyak tribe, she transitioned from grassroots activism -- advocating for women's rights and tribal welfare -- to national politics.
Rekha Sharma
Before being elected to the Rajya Sabha from the BJP, Rekha Sharma served as chairperson of the National Commission for Women from 2018 to 2024.
Asaduddin Owaisi
After the Pahalgam attack, the AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP has called for Pakistan's terror infrastructure to be dismantled and urging global action against The Resistance Front, the terror outfit responsible for the Pahalgam terror attack.
His inclusion in delegations to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Algeria is strategic -- signalling that India's response targets terrorism, not Islam.
Satnam Singh Sandhu
Satnam Singh Sandhu, a nominated Rajya Sabha MP and Chandigarh University founder, is a vocal BJP educationist.
Sandhu recently rescued five Punjabi youth in Colombia, cut ties with 23 Turkish and Azerbaijani universities over their Pakistan support.
Ghulam Nabi Azad
Following the Pahalgam attack, the former Union minister commended the spontaneous public protests by Kashmiris against terrorism, noting an unprecedented anti-terror sentiment among local Muslims.
Azad's inclusion in the Operation Sindoor delegation underscores his continued relevance in national affairs, particularly in advocating India's stance against terrorism.
Ambassador Harsh Singla
A 1984 batch IFS officer, Shringla has served as ambassador to the US, high commissioner to Bangladesh, India's envoy to Thailand.
As foreign secretary (2020-2022), he played a central role in navigating India's diplomacy through the COVID-9 pandemic, the border standoff with China, and the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan.
As India seeks to explain the rationale behind its counter-terrorist operation post-Pahalgam, Shringla's stature and credibility lend gravity to the country's strategic communication.
Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff
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