A cross-party delegation led by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor is visiting the USA, Brazil, Colombia, Panama and Guyana to rally global support for India's counter-terror stance, spotlighting regional stability and Pakistan-backed cross-border threats.
Shashi Tharoor
Former UN under secretary-general Dr Tharoor returns to his old hunting ground.
By assigning him the leadership of arguably the most important parliamentary mission -- convincing officials in the Trump administration, US senators and representatives -- the government has indicated its respect for Dr Tharoor's diplomatic skills and powers of persuasion.
Shambhavi Choudhary
Elected at 25, Shambhavi Choudhary became one of India's youngest MPs in 2024, winning the Lok Sabha election from Samastipur on an LJP-Ram Vilas ticket.
A third-generation politician, the sociology graduate has focused on rural infrastructure, women's education and youth employment.
Dr Sarfaraz Ahmad
A medical doctor-turned-politician from Jharkhand's Giridih district, Dr Ahmad is a two-time Lok Sabha MP and was elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha in 2023.
The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha's national secretary said the visit would 'reinforce India's zero-tolerance stance on terrorism', underlining the JMM's backing for bipartisan unity on national security after the Pahalgam attack.
G M Harish Balayogi
Son of the late Lok Sabha Speaker G M C Balayogi, Harish won Amalapuram in 2024 on a Telugu Desam Party ticket. A lawyer by training, he called the post-Operation Sindoor outreach 'vital to correct international misperceptions on cross-border terrorism'.
Shashank Mani Tripathi
The IIT Delhi alumnus and tech entrepreneur won Deoria for the BJP in 2024.
Tripathi said the post-Operation Sindoor mission aims to present 'India's narrative on sovereignty and counter-terrorism' to global democracies, calling it a landmark in parliamentary diplomacy.
Bhubaneswar Kalita
Veteran MP Bhubaneswar Kalita has served five terms in both Houses, switching from the Congress to the BJP in 2019.
On joining the diplomatic delegation, Kalita said the outreach will 'underline India's principled response to terror'
Milind Murli Deora
Milind served three Lok Sabha terms as a Congress MP before joining the Shiv Sena in 2024 and entering the Rajya Sabha.
On the Operation Sindoor outreach, Deora said the mission must show India's unity 'beyond party lines' against State-backed terror.
Tejasvi Surya
Elected in 2019 at age 28, Surya swiftly became national president of the BJP's youth wing.
Surya hailed Operation Sindoor as 'precise, proportionate and morally justified', promising that the delegation would 'speak with one voice on India's determination to end Pakistan‑sponsored terrorism.'
Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu
A 1985‑batch Indian Foreign Service officer, Sandhu's postings include consul general in San Francisco, high commissioner to Sri Lanka, and ambassador to the United States (2020-2024).
Sandhu will leverage his US diplomatic experience to 'contextualise India's measured response for foreign interlocutors -- emphasising legality, restraint, and regional security imperatives.'
Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff
© 2025