Anand Sharma resigns as chairman of Congress foreign affairs department
PTI
Last Updated:
New Delhi, Aug 10 (PTI) Veteran Congress leader Anand Sharma resigned as the chairman of the party's foreign affairs department on Sunday to help in its reconstitution and enable bringing in younger leaders.
The former Union minister led the department for around a decade, as the National Committee of the Department of Foreign Affairs was last constituted in 2018.
'As I have conveyed earlier, both to CP and Chairperson CPP, in my considered view, the committee needs to be reconstituted to bring in younger leaders of potential and promise. That will ensure continuity in its functioning.
'Expressing my gratitude to the party leadership for having entrusted me with this responsibility, I am submitting my resignation as Chairman DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) to facilitate its reconstitution," Sharma said in his resignation letter addressed to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.
Sharma, a member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the highest decision-making body in the party, has been the Congress's leading face on international affairs for almost four decades.
He, however, continues to be a member of the Congress.
Sharma has earlier played a crucial role in the negotiations of the Indo-US nuclear deal, pitched for India-specific waivers at the Nuclear Suppliers Group and is also credited with institutionalising the India-Africa partnership in a structured manner and convening the first India-Africa summit.
Sharma, along with Manish Tiwari and Shashi Tharoor, were part of the multi-party Parliamentary delegations that had gone abroad to put across India's viewpoint on Operation Sindoor.
Even though the Congress had forwarded the names of Anand Sharma, Gaurav Gogoi and Naseer Hussain to be part of the delegations, the government had nominated only Anand Sharma, besides taking Tharoor and Tiwari. Sharma also articulated India's position to the world after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
In a post on X, Manish Tewari, 'Had the pleasure and honour of working with Anand Sharma for over four decades. His understanding of Foreign Affairs is astute. Especially in Africa, the depth of his knowledge is incisive." 'As we were together on the same politico-strategic delegation together in end May-early June 2025, we greatly benefited from his insights. He has spent close to five and a half decades of his life in the service of Congress. Wishing him a very healthy and fulfilling life," he added.
During his tenure as the commerce minister, the first-ever WTO Agreement and comprehensive trade agreements were signed.
In his letter, Sharma said the DFA has, over the last few decades, been actively engaged in building and strengthening the Congress's relations with like-minded political parties across the world, which share the values of democracy, equality and human rights.
He said the Congress has built strong relations with major political parties in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe and Latin America. The foreign affairs department of the party has established an institutional mechanism for the exchange of leadership delegations with fraternal political parties and international organisations.
'I have had the privilege to have been proactively associated with all major international initiatives of the Congress since the mid-1980s as IYC president. These included: NAM youth conference 1985 and the historic 'Anti Apartheid Conference' in 1987. These were universally acclaimed," Sharma said.
He also said the Congress successfully convened the historic Satyagraha centenary conference in January 2007 and an international conference on the 125th birth anniversary of Jawaharlal Nehru in November 2014, which were attended by eminent world leaders. These conferences, chaired by then Congress president Sonia Gandhi, received worldwide acclaim. PTI SKC NSD NSD
view comments
First Published:
August 10, 2025, 22:30 IST
News agency-feeds Anand Sharma resigns as chairman of Congress foreign affairs department
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
6 minutes ago
- Indian Express
‘Historic moment for country': Rajnath hails passing out of first batch of women cadets from NDA
DEFENCE MINISTER Rajnath Singh on Thursday hailed the passing out of the first batch of 17 women cadets from the National Defence Academy as a 'historic moment for the country.' Singh was delivering the 'Sandesh to Soldiers' aired from Akashvani on the eve of the 79th Independence Day. According to a press statement from the Ministry of Defence, Singh said in his speech that Operation Sindoor emerged as a balanced military response amid the asymmetric warfare being witnessed across the globe. 'India successfully utilised cutting-edge apparatus such as drone war, layered air defence, electronic warfare and network-centric operation, and proved that India is no longer dependent on foreign technology.' The MoD press statement quoted him as saying. 'For the first time, 17 women cadets successfully passed out from NDA, Khadakwasla. It was a historic moment for the country. Two brave women officers of the Indian Navy, Lt Cdr Dilna K and Lt Cdr Roopa, made the country proud by completing a difficult sea journey of 25,600 nautical miles under Navika Sagar Parikrama-II. It was a testament to the strength of our naval forces. An all-women tri-service sailing team created history by returning home from Seychelles after completing an international sea voyage of 1,800 nautical miles. It was the first international open sea sailing voyage undertaken by the women of Indian Armed Forces. For our women, no challenge is impossible. They will always be at the forefront in protecting and honoring the country,' said Singh. An order was passed by the Supreme Court in August 2021 while hearing a plea seeking directions to allow eligible women to sit for the NDA and Naval Academy examinations conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). The first batch of the women cadets joined the NDA in July-August 2022 as part of its 148th course. At the time of the entry of the women cadets in 2022, the NDA had said, 'With minimum changes to the existing curriculum, the training in academics, drill, outdoor training, etc. will be conducted in an absolutely gender-neutral manner.' The NDA said a dedicated support staff has been provided for facilitating the training of women cadets. A majority of training activities are conducted jointly keeping their employability in mind, wherein the women officers are required to command the troops. Similar training methodology already exists in other Pre-Commissioning Training Academics like OTA Chennai, INA Ezhimala and AFA Hyderabad. One of the most important milestones in the assimilation of the female cadets at the NDA came when they were moved out a separate accommodation and integrated with the existing 18 squadrons of the academy, in the sixth and final term of the first course. After this, the female cadets allotted to each of the squadrons started undertaking their full day training activities with the male cadets. While the first batch of 17 women cadets passed out of the academy in May this year as part of the 148th course, the second batch is set to pass out later this year as part of the 149th course.
Time of India
19 minutes ago
- Time of India
Cong holds Vote Satyagraha Tiranga Yatra in Gwalior against alleged mandate theft
Bhopal: State Congress on Thursday organised a Vote Satyagraha Tiranga Yatra in Gwalior which was led by state in-charge Harish Chaudhary, PCC chief Jitu Patwari, LOP Umang Singhar and senior party functionaries Sunil Sharma, MLAs Pankaj Upadhyay, Sahab Singh Gurjar, Suresh Raje, Gwalior (city) district president Devendra Sharma, former MLA Praveen Pathak and others. Speaking to reporters, state party in-charge Chaudhary said: "Today, it is our biggest responsibility to stop the attacks on the democratic system of the country and to save the sanctity of the right to vote. The vote theft being done by the BJP is an attempt to weaken the roots of democracy, and the Congress will fight it strongly." The Congress party is taking out protest marches and demonstrations across the state to protest vote-theft which was alleged by Lok Sabha LOP Rahul Gandhi last week. The Congress claimed that during the 2024 Parliamentary elections, one assembly constituency within a Lok Sabha seat in Karnataka had more than a lakh fake voters. LOP Singhar said: "Our pride is our tricolor. This struggle against the conspiracy of vote-theft in the country is not just for votes, but to save the soul of the country." Patwari said: "Today, by participating in Vote Satyagraha Tiranga Yatra in Gwalior, we have raised our voice for democratic justice and constitutional rights. Those responsible for vote theft will be brought to the dock. The provision of 'one person, one vote' is necessary for a healthy and prosperous democracy, but the BJP has committed the organised crime of vote theft by insulting democracy." He argued that the Vote Satyagraha Tiranga Yatra is being organised to give a clear message from Gwalior that the Congress party will continue to struggle on every front to protect democracy and maintain the sanctity of voting rights. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Happy Independence Day wishes , messages , and quotes !
Time of India
19 minutes ago
- Time of India
Former Manipur CM Biren leads Tiranga Yatra in Imphal
Imphal: Ahead of 79th Independence Day celebrations, former Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh , along with BJP state unit president A Sharda Devi, on Thursday led a Tiranga Yatra as part of the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign at Luwangshangbam in Imphal East. The rally commenced from the residence of Singh and saw an enthusiastic participation from a large number of people displaying respect and pride. Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the rally, Singh said, "We are Indians. We should be proud of being an Indian. The Har Ghar Tiranga campaign under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has instilled feelings of nationalism among the people further strengthening support for national unity and the idea of making a strong India." He said to make India strong and united is the responsibility of every citizen. "Every Indian should be ready to contribute and make sacrifices for a strong India," he added. When asked about Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's recent criticism of the Election Commission of India, he said, "The Election Commission is a constitutionally autonomous body. Criticism should have been done legally and not on the streets." Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Happy Independence Day wishes , messages , and quotes !
