"Very strong support, understanding for our position": Congress MP Shashi Tharoor after meeting US lawmakers
Washington, DC: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who is leading the all-party parliamentary delegation to the US, met with Bipartisan co-chairs Ro Khanna and Rich McCormick, as well as vice co-chairs Andy Barr and Marc Veasey, on Wednesday. Tharoor said that US Congressmen had very strong support and understanding for India's position on the Pahalgam terrorist attack and the events that followed.
Speaking to reporters, Tharoor said that McCormick was very upbeat about the future of India-US ties, the economy and global strategic issues.
After meeting Khanna, McCormick, Barr and Veasey, Tharoor said, "Mr McCormick is not only understanding of what we had to tell him, but he was very upbeat about the future of India-US relations across the board, the economy, global strategic issues, and so this particular problem we started off discussing was part of a much larger picture, which we are very excited to hear the kind of vision that the India Caucus chairs have for the future of our relationship."
Tharoor also talked about the support received by the delegation from other Congressmen. He said, "A strong message from the other Congressmen who are also here, who just left the room. So, we've had very strong support and understanding for our position on this terrible, terrible tragedy (Pahalgam attack) and the events that followed. So, we're leaving this room very happy with the conversation."
During the meeting with Ro Khanna, Rich McCormick, Andy Barr, and Marc Veasey, the parliamentary delegation briefed the Caucus members on the cross-border terrorism faced by India and India's strong and resolute stance against terrorism.
The delegation led by Tharoor comprises Members of Parliament from across the political spectrum, reflecting India's vibrant and inclusive democratic character. The delegation comprises Sarfaraz Ahmad, Ganti Harish Madhur, Shashank Mani Tripathi, Bhubaneswar Kalita, Tejasvi Surya, and former Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu.
The Indian Embassy in the US said that Congressmen expressed strong support for India's right to respond to terrorism in the spirit of zero tolerance against terrorism. The Caucus members hailed the strong strategic partnership between India and the US.
In a post on X, the Indian Embassy in the US stated, "Bipartisan co-chairs @RoKhanna & @RepMcCormick and vice co-chairs @RepAndyBarr & @RepVeasey of India Caucus in the House of Representatives met with the visiting Parliamentary delegation led by @ShashiTharoor today."
"The parliamentary delegation briefed the Caucus members on the cross-border terrorism faced by India and India's strong and resolute stance in the fight against terror. The Congressmen expressed unequivocal and bipartisan condemnation for the terror attack in Pahalgam. They expressed support for India's right to respond to terrorism in the spirit of zero tolerance against terrorism. The Caucus members also hailed the strong strategic partnership between India and USA," it added.
The all-party delegation led by Shashi Tharoor reached Washington DC earlier today to begin a two-day engagement with key US stakeholders. The Indian Embassy in the US posted on X from its official handle that the delegation will meet members of the US Congress, including the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, House Foreign Affairs Committee.
The delegation will also hold discussions with academicians from leading think tanks and various media outlets. The delegation is scheduled to speak at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) in Washington, D.C., with the event being streamed live on the CFR website.
Additionally, the delegation will interact with members of the Indian diaspora during their visit, further strengthening community ties. The delegation aims to brief key stakeholders in the US on Operation Sindoor, India's diplomatic initiative launched to counter terrorism and disinformation following recent terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir.
In a post on X, Tharoor described his journey to Washington as a "horrendous, three-stage overnight journey" from Brasilia via Sao Paulo and Panama, during which he managed only one and a half hours of sleep.
Upon arrival, he was pleased to be greeted by two Indian-American police officers, Harmanpreet Singh and Hundal. Tharoor recorded an interview with CBS News at the Indian Embassy, followed by a briefing with Ambassador Vinay Kwatra and his team. The delegation reached the US after concluding their visit to Belgium.
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