Colombia has withdrawn statement supporting Pakistan, will back India: Shashi Tharoor
Colombia will issue a statement in support of India's stance after it withdrew an earlier one condoling the deaths in Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, The Hindu quoted Congress MP Shashi Tharoor as saying on Friday.
Tharoor, who is leading an Indian all-party parliamentary delegation to Colombia, confirmed the development during a visit to Bogota's Tadeo Lozano University, the newspaper added.
'They have withdrawn their earlier statement that disappointed us and will issue a statement of strong support for our position and understanding of our position,' The Hindu quoted Tharoor as saying.
#WATCH | Colombia officially withdraws its earlier statement that it issued expressing condolences on the loss of lives in Pakistan after the Indian strikes; earlier, Shashi Tharoor, who is leading the all-party delegation, raised concern and said - we (India) were a little… pic.twitter.com/iVFmLUl1yP
— ANI (@ANI) May 30, 2025
On Thursday, Tharoor had expressed disappointment over the Colombian government's 'heartfelt condolences over the loss of lives in Pakistan, rather than sympathising with the victims of [Pahalgam] terror [attack]', The Indian Express reported.
The Thiruvananthapuram MP had said that 'there can be no equivalence between those who dispatch terrorists and those who resist them'.
'There can be no equivalence between those who attack and those who defend,' he said.
He added that India, during Operation Sindoor, had only exercised its right of self-defence and if 'there is any misunderstanding…on this core…we are here to dispel any misunderstanding'.
After Colombia withdrew its statement, former Indian Ambassador to the United States and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Taranjit Singh Sandhu attributed the shift in the Latin American country's position to the delegation's 'thorough and strategic' briefing.
'We had a detailed exchange with the acting foreign minister this morning,' Sandhu, who is also part of the delegation, told ANI. 'Our leader and the entire team made specific points to them, explaining to them the timeline, which perhaps to an extent they might have missed out.'
The BJP leader also highlighted Colombia's diplomatic importance as it will soon have a seat on the United Nations Security Council, the news agency said.
After concluding the Colombia visit, the all-party delegation will be heading to Brazil and the United States on Saturday.
Tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad had escalated on May 7 when the Indian military carried out strikes – codenamed Operation Sindoor – on what it claimed were terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
The strikes were in response to the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, which killed 26 persons on April 22.
The Pakistan Army retaliated to Indian strikes by repeatedly shelling Indian villages along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir. At least 22 Indian civilians and eight defence personnel were killed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Print
35 minutes ago
- The Print
Supriya Sule-led delegation arrives in Egypt to convey India's stance on terrorism
The delegation has a packed and productive schedule in Egypt, including Ministerial engagements, Parliamentary exchanges, interactions with think tanks, media, the Indian community and others. The delegation arrived in Cairo after concluding their visit to Ethiopia on Sunday, Suresh Reddy, India's Ambassador to Egypt, received the delegation. Cairo, Jun 2 (PTI) An all-party delegation led by NCP MP Supriya Sule has reached Egypt to present India's stance on zero tolerance against terrorism. It is one of the seven multi-party delegations India has tasked to visit 33 global capitals to reach out to the international community to emphasise Pakistan's links to terrorism. Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after the Pahalgam terror attack, with India carrying out precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in the early hours of May 7. Pakistan attempted to attack Indian military bases on May 8, 9, and 10. The Indian side responded strongly to the Pakistani actions. The on-ground hostilities ended with an understanding of stopping the military actions following talks between the directors general of military operations of both sides on May 10. PTI NSA NSA NSA This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Time of India
36 minutes ago
- Time of India
"Will negotiate a fair balance," Piyush Goyal optimistic of wrapping up FTA with EU by year end
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal expressed optimism that India could finalise its Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the European Union (EU) ahead of the year-end deadline, citing minimal divergences between the two economic blocs. Goyal emphasised the complementary nature of the Indian and European economies. "There are not too many issues where we have divergence of opinion. We have both complementary economies," he stated. "In most cases, what is of offensive interest to India does not hurt the European economy. And likewise, goods and services that Europe would like to provide to India only support our growth story." The minister acknowledged that certain sensitive areas require careful negotiation on both sides. "Obviously, in any trading relationship, there are certain sensitive issues on both sides which we have to resolve amicably in the interest of both the European Union and India," Goyal noted. India has positioned itself strongly on key issues concerning the EU, particularly regarding gender equality and sustainability. "We are proud of our sisters and our women and the fantastic work they have done and continue to do," Goyal said. "Therefore, if you have a subject like gender, India is on the front foot. When it comes to subjects like sustainability, India is right at the forefront." Both sides have raised specific concerns that must be addressed in the negotiations. "We have certain concerns about European Union practices and regulations. Likewise, they have certain areas of things they would like to discuss," the minister explained. Goyal expressed confidence that these issues could be resolved through fair negotiation. "Some issues are on the table and we will negotiate a fair balance and free trade agreement," he said. "There would be many issues on both sides which will come up for discussion so that we can come up with a robust agreement that will support market access and promote easier trade." The minister clarified that free trade agreements operate independently of domestic business reforms. "Free trade agreements stand on their footing. They have no relationship to our internal domestic effort to make it attractive to do investments and businesses," he explained. Instead, FTAs focus on market liberalisation that benefits both economies. "Free trade agreements are more towards opening markets on both sides, which leads to greater competitiveness, improved productivity and efficiency in all processes," Goyal said. The agreement is expected to create broader economic opportunities across multiple sectors. "It opens the doors to larger engagement, be it in goods, services, investments, all areas related to the economy," the minister noted. "All of this benefits 1.4 billion consumers." The India-EU FTA negotiations represent a significant step in strengthening economic ties between India and one of the world's largest trading blocs. The agreement aims to reduce trade barriers, enhance market access, and create new opportunities for businesses on both sides. With both economies showing complementary strengths and shared commitments to sustainability and gender equality, the successful conclusion of the FTA could mark a new chapter in India-Europe economic cooperation, potentially benefiting millions of consumers and businesses across both regions.
The Print
38 minutes ago
- The Print
India's all-party delegations show a problem with our embassies
Governments regularly send foreign affairs ministers or senior officials to convey important and special messages. But the use of all-party parliamentary delegations is a rare practice in diplomacy. I cannot recall any recent example of a country taking such a step. That such delegations were needed to convey India's position on terrorism reflects the limitations of Indian missions abroad in performing this task effectively. My view is that the government was compelled to send these delegations because Indian missions abroad are unable to aggressively promote India's national interests. The decision of the Modi government to send all-party parliamentary delegations to different countries for mobilising support against terrorism, following the ceasefire with Pakistan, has attracted significant public attention. As these delegations are reaching various countries, questions are being raised about why such a step was necessary in the first place. This situation can be attributed to two interrelated factors. One is that successive governments have failed to carry out necessary reforms in the Indian missions abroad. The other is that officials working in Indian embassies get little public recognition back home, which impacts their performance. As a result, the government has to resort to temporary mechanisms such as sending all-party delegations. However, the long-term solution lies in the structural reform of India's missions abroad. Also Read: Sanskrit to satellites, embassies in Delhi are using culture to show ties, get close to India Decolonising the structure of Indian embassies The Indian missions abroad, called high commissions in Commonwealth countries and embassies in others, are primarily responsible for conveying the message of the Indian government. Increasing the efficiency of these missions is crucial, but unfortunately, successive governments have not paid any attention in this regard. Reforms are needed in two directions—decolonisation of the structure of Indian embassies, and the promotion of active over passive leadership. First, the structure of Indian embassies. For example, the Indian High Commission in London still seems to be organised along colonial lines. Presently, six of its officials are designated as ministers. They are minister (counsellor), minister (audit), minister (economic), minister (coordination), and minister (Nehru Centre). Interestingly, the designation of minister is not used by the Indian High Commissions in Australia, New Zealand, or Canada. And only India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh have this designation in their London-based high commissions. This practice appears to have been inherited from the office of the Secretary of India during colonial rule. While the positions of secretary and deputy secretary may have been replaced with High Commissioner and Deputy High Commissioner, the remaining designations are unchanged. The designation of minister also creates confusion when Union or state ministers officially visit London. Usually, the embassy 'ministers' receive and accompany them. It causes great confusion for those unfamiliar with the bureaucratic hierarchy. The second issue relates to leadership style. The government needs to ensure that Indian embassies show active rather than passive leadership. Presently, embassies tend to act only after receiving instructions from the government, and their engagement remains very formal. However, they need to be encouraged to engage with the Indian diaspora and other stakeholders informally. Based on my six years of experience in London, I have noticed that purely bureaucratic appointments reduce such engagement. Therefore, the government needs to diversify its officials in Indian missions. It should incorporate professors, journalists, writers, and other young leaders into the pool. I have found, for instance, that the appointment of Amish Tripathi as the Chair of the Nehru Centre in London significantly increased social activities. The centre acts as the cultural wing of the Indian High Commission in London, and it emerged as a premier institution engaged in India's cultural interface with the UK. Coming from a literary background, Tripathi, who served until October 2023, did not concern himself with bureaucratic protocols and met people both formally and informally. This led to a rise in cultural activities and social gatherings at the Nehru Centre. The appointment of diverse professionals in Indian missions abroad is needed for two further reasons. First, the missions increasingly need to engage with the Indian diaspora, which is itself diverse in terms of region, ideology, caste, and profession. A broader mix of professionals in missions will improve outreach. Second, the appointment of diverse professionals will provide them with exposure to foreign policy and diplomacy, which would be beneficial for developing future leaders. Also Read: Countering Pakistan isn't India's only challenge. We need doctrinal clarity on China factor The problem of invisibility The lack of public recognition for the good work done in Indian embassies also discourages officials from showing active leadership. For example, the current Indian High Commissioner in London, Vikram Doraiswami, is the most active one I have seen in comparison with his predecessors. He frequently meets people and actively participates in community events. Yet most Indians would not know his name. Similarly, the security officer of the Commission, Kiran Bhosale, was injured while protecting the Tricolour during a Khalistan protest in 2023. Yet this news found no space in the media. All of these point to a lack of recognition for the work being done in the Indian mission. This too acts as a disincentive to active leadership. To sum up, decolonising Indian missions, promoting active leadership through professional diversification, and increasing recognition for officials would go a long way in making embassies better equipped to fulfil the role they were set up for. Arvind Kumar is a Visiting Lecturer in Politics & International Relations at the University of Hertfordshire, UK. He tweets @arvind_kumar__. Views are personal. (Edited by Asavari Singh)
