India Hits Back ‘Smart and Precisely’: Shashi Tharoor Defends Operation Sindoor

NEW DELHI – Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, leading an all-party delegation in the US, has strongly defended India’s response to the recent terror attack in Pahalgam. Speaking at a public interaction at the Indian Consulate, Tharoor emphasized that India’s military strikes were a measured yet forceful response to the incident.

Tharoor, who authored an op-ed calling for a strong response to terrorism, stated, ‘I myself authored an op-ed…saying the time has come to hit hard but hit smart. I’m pleased to say that’s exactly what India did…very precise and calibrated strikes took place on 9 specific known terrorist bases, headquarters and launchpads.’

A United Front

The delegation, which includes members from various political parties like the BJP, Congress, Shiv Sena, TDP, JMM, and LJP, is on a mission to present a united Indian stance on terrorism and national security. Former Indian Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, is also part of the delegation.

‘Our idea is very much to speak to a cross section of public and political opinion in each of the countries we’re going to about recent events which trouble a number of people around the world,’ Tharoor explained. He added that the delegation aims to engage with lawmakers, think tanks, the media, and civil society in their endeavors.

Solidarity and a Hardened Stance

The visit also serves as a gesture of solidarity with the victims of terrorism worldwide. ‘We are in a city that still bears the scars of a savage terrorist attack. We came not only to express our support for victims, who include Indians, Americans, and others, but also to underline that terrorism is a shared global threat,’ Tharoor stated.

Tharoor recalled the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, highlighting how Pakistani involvement fueled the tragedy. He also referenced Pakistan’s harboring of Osama Bin Laden, the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks. These references underscore Tharoor’s view that Pakistan has consistently evaded accountability for its role in terrorism.

Echoing the government’s recent assertive stance, Tharoor emphasized a ‘new bottom line’ in dealing with Pakistan. ‘We have tried everything, international dossier, complaints…everything has been tried. Pakistan has remained in denial, there has been absolutely no conviction, no serious criminal prosecution, no attempt to dismantle the terror infrastructure in that country, and the persistence of safe havens…you (Pakistan) do this, you are going to get this back and we have demonstrated with this Operation ( Operation Sindoor ) that we can do it with a degree of precision,’ he declared.