All-party delegation led by Ravi Shankar Prasad interacts with Brussels-based think tanks; discusses Op Sindoor

India Gazette

a day ago

Brussels [Belgium], June 5 (ANI): The all-party delegation led by BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad interacted with Brussels-based think tanks and deliberated on the wide-ranging menace of terrorism, including cross-border terrorism directed against India.
In a post on X, the official handle of India in Belgium posted, 'Insightful interaction with leading Brussels-based think tanks. The members of the All-Party Parliamentary Delegation had a wide-ranging discussion on the menace of terrorism, including cross-border terrorism directed against India.'
'They discussed India's counter-terrorism efforts, including Operation Sindoor, with members of the think tank community in Brussels. The delegation conveyed a unified and unequivocal message of zero tolerance against terrorism,' said the post.
After meeting the delegation led by BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad, Jan Luykx, Senior Associate at Egmont Institute and Former Envoy to India, said, 'I think the delegation's message was very clear. Several important points were raised regarding the recent developments in Kashmir and the terrorist attack that took place in Pahalgam.'
'We received a lot of information and insights that will contribute to our understanding of India's evolving role on the global stage and its ongoing fight against terrorism. People were deeply horrified by the Pahalgam incident, where innocent civilians and tourists were killed. There is a strong sense of empathy and understanding toward the grief,' he said.
After the meeting, Garima Mohan of the German Marshall Fund also spoke to ANI and said, 'It was very insightful to hear perspectives from across the Indian political spectrum. As I mentioned, there hasn't been much coverage of Operation Sindoor in the European media due to the ongoing media crisis.'
'So, it was valuable for us to understand the operation clearly, its implications, and how it may influence policy dynamics. We also learned that India's response through Operation Sindoor was very targeted, specifically focusing on terrorist camps,' she added.
EU Foreign Policy Advisor Stefania Benaglia also spoke to ANI and said, 'It was a valuable meeting, and we gained significant insights from it. The key takeaway is that we need to engage in more frequent and deeper dialogue to understand one another truly. At times, even with good intentions on both sides, the messages may not be perfectly aligned or communicated.'
'There was a strong condemnation issued on May 8 by all 27 members. While unanimity can be difficult to achieve, the fact that all members came together on this sends a powerful signal. Going forward, this conversation must continue, especially around the question: what role does India envision for itself, and how can the EU support that?' she stated.
The delegation arrived in Brussels on Wednesday after concluding their visit to the United Kingdom. During the two-day visit, the delegation is scheduled to hold several meetings aimed at consolidating global consensus against cross-border terrorism.
The delegation includes BJP MPs Daggubati Purandeswari and Samik Bhattacharya, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, Congress MPs Ghulam Ali Khatana and Amar Singh, former Union Minister MJ Akbar, and former Ambassador Pankaj Saran.
Earlier, the delegation visited the UK to garner widespread support for India's fight against terrorism and highlight Pakistan's role in fostering terrorism. The team received support from British parliamentarians, think tanks, and the Indian diaspora.
Ravi Shankar Prasad noted that they met UK leaders, including the Speaker of the House of Commons and Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel, and underlined the need for greater global accountability in terrorism financing, while reinforcing India's democratic approach.
The diplomatic effort is part of India's broader global outreach following Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7 as a military response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists, which claimed 26 lives.
Subsequently, the Indian Armed Forces carried out strikes targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in the deaths of over 100 terrorists affiliated with groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen. (ANI)