Indian diaspora in Bahrain appreciates New Delhi's reinforced conviction to take action against terrorism

Times of Oman

26-05-2025

Manama: Indian diaspora in Bahrain have welcomed the visit of an all-party Indian parliamentary delegation, demonstrating India's unified stance against terrorism and its commitment to engaging with the global community.
The delegation, led by BJP MP Baijayant Panda , held a series of meetings with Indian expatriates and Bahraini officials in Manama as part of India's diplomatic outreach.
Meera Ravi, Editor of Salaam Bahrain Magazine, appreciated the delegation's visit, saying it reinforced India's conviction to take action against terrorism. The delegation's presence helped to convey that India's response was not about war, but about anti-terrorism.
"In this day and age, when you have so much of social media and news by the minute, it's very difficult not to know what is happening in India and Pakistan, especially in this context. However, what is very important in having an all-party delegation visiting Bahrain and telling us what it is about is that it reinforces for all of us our conviction and telling everyone, 'This is what the Government of India means when it says they want action. This is what the Government of India and the people of India want to do when they are attacked,' and it's not about war, but it is about anti-terrorism. I think that was a very strong message of the all-party delegation, and it also underscored India's diversity and unity in the face of terror. I'm very happy that this happened," said Meera Ravi.
The delegation's visit aimed to reinforce India's stance on combating terrorism and showcase the country's unity and diversity.
PK Ravi, a businessman and chartered accountant in Manama, highlighted Bahrain's positive environment and strong support for Indian residents. He appreciated the Bahraini government's statement of support for India following recent events.
"In fact, as we heard, Bahrain is a country that loves people. It's a country that loves peace. They don't want any confusion. They don't want any upheavals. In that contest, the Bahrain government has passed a statement the day the attack took place. Two days later they showed their allegiance to India. They showed their support to India, and from that day I've been seeing that the Bahrain government has been very, very supportive of what we are doing back home. We are very thankful to the Government of Bahrain for supporting us, for supporting incentive, and I must add one more line, that we Indians expatriates living so peacefully in this part of the world, and the comfort the government gives us even in the face of these attacks is very much appreciated. We thank the government of Bahrain for all the support they provide to the expatriates and to the world in general," said PK Ravi.
Ravi praised India's diplomatic outreach, saying the delegation's visit would help counter misinformation and spread awareness about India's stance on terrorism.
"What India has done is a master stroke - sending the all-party delegation; that the misinformation that was generated, I don't know how many people believed it, but the very fact that the Government of India took cognizance of that is happening globally and sending these kinds of powerful delegations all over the world - all parties mixed, all religions mixed, and they come and address us. When we go back home, I'm going to spread this news to about another thousand people. My children are in London. The first call I'll make is to them, to tell them, 'Look at how safe we feel and what kind of proactive action the government is taking.' We are very, very appreciative of The Prime Minister of the country Narendra Modi for taking these actions, and we thank the delegation for coming here and I can assure you this message will pass on to thousands and thousands of people through all of us who came today and who came for the talk in the embassy also," he added.
The delegation's activities in Bahrain included formal meetings at the Indian Embassy, where BJP MP Baijayant Panda underscored the role of the diaspora in advancing India's interests abroad. Panda described the Indian community as representing the voice of 140 crore Indians and India's growing "soft power."
During a session with local leaders, he noted that Bahraini authorities had expressed high regard for the Indian community and characterised the discussions as open and candid.
The delegations also visited the Shrinathji Temple in Manama. The stop at the temple was marked by visuals capturing their interaction with local community members and the temple's significance for the diaspora.
According to updates shared by the Indian Embassy in Bahrain, Ambassador Vinod K Jacob welcomed the all-party delegation to India House and provided a briefing to its members.
The visit also featured a tribute ceremony, as delegation members paid floral respects to Mahatma Gandhi--a gesture reinforcing India's commitment to peace and unity. Embassy posts on X further documented the delegation's engagements with community members and reiterated India's unified stance against terrorism.
The multi-party delegation included Nishikant Dubey, Phangnon Konyak, Rekha Sharma, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, Satnam Singh Sandhu, Ghulam Nabi Azad, and former Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla, in addition to Panda.