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Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Congress veteran Anand Sharma resigns as chief of party's foreign affairs dept: ‘To bring in younger leaders'
Congress' veteran leader Anand Sharma resigned as the chief of the party's foreign affairs department on Sunday after heading it for around a decade. He said he did so because the department needed reconstitution and younger leaders. Anand Sharma previously played a key role in negotiations of the Indo-US nuclear deal(File/PTI) In his resignation letter addressed to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Anand Sharma expressed gratitude for being entrusted with the responsibility of heading the department for so long and said the committee's reconstitution will ensure the continuity of its functioning, reported PTI news agency. He has been the party's leading face on international affairs for almost four decades. "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,' he wrote in the letter. Also read: On Congress request, EC grants appointment for 'interaction': Report "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," he added. Sharma continues to be with the Congress party and is also a member of its highest decision-making body - the Congress Working Committee (CWC). Sharma previously played a key role in negotiations of the Indo-US nuclear deal, advocated for India-specific exemptions at the Nuclear Suppliers Group, and is credited with formalising the India-Africa partnership in a structured manner. He also organised the inaugural India-Africa summit. Congress colleague's tribute to Anand Sharma After Anand Sharma's resignation, Congress leader Manish Tewari said the former's understanding of foreign affairs is 'astute'. He said that Sharma spent over five decades in service of the Indian National Congress and wished him a 'happy and fulfilled life'. Sharma, along with his party colleagues Manish Tiwari and Shashi Tharoor, were also part of the multi-party Parliamentary delegations sent across the world to put forth India's perspective on terrorism and Operation Sindoor. 'Had the pleasure and honour of working with @AnandSharmaINC for over four decades. His understanding of Foreign Affairs is astute. Especially on 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 were greatly benefited by his insights. He has spent close to five and a half decades of his life in the service of @INCIndia. Wishing him a very healthy and fulfilling life,' Tewari wrote on X. (With PTI inputs)
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘It needs reconstitution': Sharma quits as Cong's foreign dept head
Senior Congress leader and former Union minister Anand Sharma on Sunday resigned as the chairman of the party's foreign affairs department to help in its reconstitution and enable bringing in a younger leadership. After tendering his resignation, Sharma said the department was not being consulted on important issues related to foreign affairs. The former Union minister led the department for around a decade. 'As I have conveyed earlier, both to CP (Mallikarjun Kharge) and Chairperson CPP (Sonia Gandhi), 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 to Congress president Kharge. Sharma, a member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), has been the Congress's most prominent face on international affairs for almost four decades. He also played a pivotal role in the negotiations of the Indo-US nuclear deal. He was also instrumental in institutionalising the India-Africa partnership in a structured manner and convening the first India-Africa summit. Sharma had travelled to South Africa, Egypt, Qatar and Ethiopia as a member of the all-party delegations that went abroad to convey India's message of zero tolerance against terrorism following Operation Sindoor. Sharma had also articulated India's position to the world after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. He was a prominent member of the G-23 group of Congress leaders who wrote to then party president Sonia Gandhi in 2020 seeking organisational reforms in the party. 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, Middle East, Europe and Latin America. Speaking to The Indian Express Sunday evening, Sharma said he had conveyed it to the party high command that there was a need to reconstitute the department. 'Some people of the department have moved away, and some have other assignments. It is time for change and bring in the next generation of people. My services will remain available to share my experience in anchoring the new team,' said Sharma. 'The department is a very important one. When you take any decision concerning foreign affairs, there has to be consultation and what is to be spoken. Similarly, if there is a delegation going abroad, or if there is a debate in Parliament, there should be consultation with the department about the party line. For some time that has been missing. We have seen the BJP has been very aggressive,' said Sharma.
India Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
Anand Sharma resigns as chairman of Congress's foreign affairs department
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 former Union minister led the department for around a decade as the National Committee of 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 "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 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 however, continues to be a member of the 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 was also a member of the recent all-party parliamentary delegations that were sent abroad to put forth India's stance in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor. Sharma also articulated India's position to the world after the 2008 Mumbai terror his tenure as the commerce minister, the first-ever WTO Agreement and comprehensive trade agreements were 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 said the Congress has built strong relations with major political parties in Asia, Africa, 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 mid-1980s as IYC president. These included: NAM youth conference 1985 and the historic 'Anti Apartheid Conference' in 1987. These were universally acclaimed," Sharma 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.- EndsMust Watch
Mint
2 days ago
- Politics
- Mint
Veteran Congress leader Anand Sharma resigns as chairman of party's foreign affairs department
Veteran Congress leader Anand Sharma resigned as the chairman of the Grand Old 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. – He also articulated India's position to the world after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. – During Sharma's tenure as the commerce minister, the first-ever WTO Agreement and comprehensive trade agreements were signed. – 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. 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. In his resignation 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.
NDTV
2 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Anand Sharma Resigns As Chairman Of Congress' Foreign Affairs Department
New Delhi: 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 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. Anand Sharma, however, continues to be a member of the Congress. He 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. He was also a member of the recent all-party parliamentary delegations that were sent abroad to put forth India's stance in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor. Sharma also articulated India's position to the world after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. 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, 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 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.
