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Hindustan Times
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Tharoor visits Russia, meets foreign minister Sergey Lavrov
New Delhi Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, currently at the centre of a row within the party, is on a private visit to Russia to promote a documentary series based on his book 'Inglorious Empire' and has had meetings with key members of the Russian leadership such as foreign minister Sergey Lavrov. Congress leader Shashi Tharoor during a meeting with the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, on the sidelines of the Primakov Readings, in Moscow. (PTI) Tharoor is in Russia at the invitation of Russia's state-run television network RT, which produced the 10-part series based on his 2017 book, which itself was based on a speech he made at the 2015 Oxford Union debate on the theme 'Does Britain owe reparations to its former colonies?'. He arrived in Russia on June 21 and participated in the St Petersburg Economic Forum before travelling to Moscow, where he met Leonid Slutsky, chairman of the committee on international affairs of the State Duma or lower house of Parliament, on June 23. On the same day, Tharoor also met the Indian diaspora at the Indian embassy. Tharoor met foreign minister Lavrov on the margins of the Primakov Readings, an annual international meeting focused on international relations and the world economy, on June 24. On Wednesday, Tharoor met Konstantin Kosachev, chair of the foreign affairs committee of the upper house of Parliament, and members of the Malayalee diaspora in Russia. While much of the focus has been on the documentary series, set to be aired by RT sometime in the third quarter of the year, Tharoor has briefed the senior Russian officials he met on India's fight against terrorism against the backdrop of Operation Sindoor and discussed issues such as the Iran-Isreal conflict, the situation in Gaza and India-Russia relations, people familiar with the matter said. Tharoor recently played a similar role when he led one of seven all-party delegations sent by the government to 33 countries to brief interlocutors about India's new approach to fighting terrorism as exemplified by Operation Sindoor, which was launched on May 7 to target terrorist infrastructure in territories controlled by Pakistan in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack in April. The 10-part series based on Tharoor's book will cover British colonialism, its impact on India, and the way the colonialism unfolded and ended. During Tharoor's meeting with Slutsky on June 23, the two sides discussed 'pressing international issues, including ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, the crisis in Ukraine, and the recent escalation in tensions between India and Pakistan', RT said on social media. 'India is a key member of BRICS. It is essential that we begin serious discussions about developing a parliamentary dimension within BRICS in the near future,' Slutsky said. 'Good to renew my acquaintance with my Russian counterpart, Mr Slutsky, who had visited Parliament in New Delhi a few months ago with a Russian delegation. We exchanged views on regional peace, #OperationSindoor and possible avenues of future parliamentary cooperation,' Tharoor said on social media. Tharoor's visit to Russia coincided with a controversy within the Congress party triggered by his praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a recent newspaper article on the lessons from the Indian government's global outreach on Operation Sindoor. The article was reposted on social media by the official handle of the Prime Minister's Office, drawing criticism from Congress circles. In his first response to the controversy, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, without directly referring to Tharoor, said for the party, it is 'country first', but for some individuals, it is 'Modi first'. Soon after, Tharoor appeared to respond to Kharge's comments with a social media post that said: 'Don't ask permission to fly. The wings are yours. And the sky belongs to no one…'
The Print
9 hours ago
- Politics
- The Print
Kharge's ‘Modi first' swipe at Tharoor. Congress MP responds ‘wings are your, sky belongs to no one'
However, he left no room for doubt that the party's ties with Tharoor have soured to an extent that no efforts are being made to mend it. Kharge, who faced a barrage of questions on Tharoor's future in the Congress at a press conference held by the party to counter the BJP's narrative on the 1975 Emergency, avoided a clear-cut response on whether the Lok Sabha MP will face any disciplinary action. New Delhi: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge Wednesday made known the party leadership's displeasure with Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor, saying unlike the Congress's 'country first' motto, 'some say Modi first, country later'. 'The opposition together said they were with the armed forces that were fighting (during Operation Sindoor). We (the Congress) said the country comes above all and we will work together (with the government). We said 'country first, party later'. But some people say 'Modi first, country later'. What can we do about that?' Kharge said. He was responding to a question on Tharoor's The Hindu opinion piece on the success of Operation Sindoor's global outreach achieved through the visits of multi-party delegations. In the piece, published 23 June, Tharoor—who led a nine-member delegation to the US, Panama, Guyana, Brazil and Colombia—lauded the outreach, piloted by the Centre, saying it was 'vital in shaping global perceptions and consolidating international support.' Tharoor also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the piece, stating that the PM's 'energy, dynamism and willingness to engage remains a prime asset for India on the global stage, but deserves greater backing.' The Prime Minister's Office had shared the article on 'X'. At the press conference, Kharge also took a jibe at Tharoor. 'I can't read English well. His (Tharoor's) language is very good and that's why we have made him a Congress Working Committee member,' Kharge said. A four-term MP, Tharoor is a member of the CWC, the party's highest-decision making forum. Asked if the leadership was wary of the pitfalls of acting against Tharoor, Kharge said the Congress had no reason to be bothered about all that. 'There are nearly 34 working committee members, 34 permanent invitees, and nearly 30 special invitees in the CWC. People can write as they wish. We are not bothered about it. We are concerned about the country and its interests. If somebody is concerned about something else, you can ask him about that,' Kharge said. Tharoor, who is attending the Primakov Readings global summit on international relations and world economy in Moscow, made a cryptic post on 'X' soon after Kharge's remarks. He essentially posted an image of a bird with the caption: 'Don't ask permission to fly. The wings are yours. And the sky belongs to no one.' (Edited by Tony Rai) Also Read: New twist in Congress-Tharoor saga—PMO shares Kerala MP's article on Op Sindoor global outreach
Deccan Herald
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Deccan Herald
Tharoor meets Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov in Moscow
Good to catch up with old friend Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the #PrimakovReadings in Moscow @RT_India_news @RT_com
Time of India
11 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Russian FM Lavrov hopeful of early resumption of Russia-India-China trialogue
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday said he expects the resumption of the Russia-India-China (RIC) trialogue soon, citing signs of improvement in ties between New Delhi and Beijing. The RIC troika has been frozen since the deadly Galwan Valley standoff between the militaries of India and China in 2020. Speaking at the annual " Primakov Readings ", a meeting of experts of international relations and world economy from 40 countries including India, Lavrov noted the importance and potential of "a particularly privileged strategic partnership with India ." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Mini House for 60 sqm for Seniors with Toilet and Bath (Click Here) Pre Fabricated Homes | Search Ads Search Now Undo He recalled the legacy of former Russian Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov, who initiated the formation of the bureaucracy-free RIC troika in the 1990s. "It has met several times over the past years. Our meetings have been on pause for a while, first, because of the pandemic and later because of the escalation on the India-China border. Reportedly, the situation is getting better, and we expect RIC to resume its work soon," he said. Live Events The military standoff in eastern Ladakh began in May 2020 and a deadly clash at the Galwan Valley in June that year resulted in a severe strain in ties between India and China. The face-off effectively ended following completion of the disengagement process from the last two friction points of Demchok and Depsang under an agreement finalised on October 21. Lavrov also said that Russia-China relations are a factor of stability in the huge Eurasian landmass home to several civilisations.
News18
14 hours ago
- Politics
- News18
Fresh Diplomatic Push? No, Tharoor's Moscow Visit About Historical Documentary Series On Colonialism
Last Updated: Shashi Tharoor, who is the chairperson of the parliamentary external affairs committee, travelled to Russia earlier this month prompting speculation in foreign policy circles Amid the controversy about Congress MP Shashi Tharoor's op-ed praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the senior leader is visiting Russian capital Moscow for a new historical documentary series on colonialism. Tharoor, who is the chairperson of the parliamentary external affairs committee, travelled to Russia earlier this month prompting speculation in foreign policy circles that he was there for a 'fresh diplomatic push". His visit, so far, has included a meeting with Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov during the Primakov Readings in Moscow, but details about his interactions were mostly unclear. 'Good to catch up with old friend Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the #PrimakovReadings in Moscow," Tharoor posted on social media platform X on Wednesday. Good to catch up with old friend Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the #PrimakovReadings in Moscow @RT_India_news @RT_com — Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) June 25, 2025 Now, it has come to the fore that the Congress leader is collaborating with Russia Today (RT), the Kremlin-funded international broadcaster, on a new historical documentary series titled Imperial Receipts with Dr Shashi Tharoor. This 10-part series, set to air on RT and its Indian counterpart RT India, will delve into the global impact of colonialism, drawing heavily from his previous works, including An Era of Darkness and Inglorious Empire. While the official release date for the series has not been announced, RT has started airing promotional clips and a preview was shown during Tharoor's recent appearance on The Sanchez Effect, a prime-time show on the broadcaster. In other promotional clips, Tharoor is also heard talking about Iran-Israel conflict and US President Donald Trump's efforts to broker a ceasefire between the two countries. RT's Rick Sanchez: What do you make of these geopolitical developments? 🇮🇷🇮🇱Dr. Shashi Tharoor: Unprecedented. But if people can look around and say 'Our honor is satisfied', and that brings peace — then let's take peace — RT (@RT_com) June 24, 2025 He mentions the military standoff between India and Pakistan calling it a 'nasty exchange — about 88 hours, a bit less than Iran-Israel". He, however, did not respond to the host, Rick Sanchez's comments on how Trump 'solved that one for you". Dr. Shashi Tharoor: We had a rather nasty exchange — about 88 hours, a bit less than Iran-Israel — with PakistanRT's Rick Sanchez: Thank God Mr. Trump solved that one for you [laughs]Tharoor: We had no desire for it to continue. We stopped when they did — RT (@RT_com) June 24, 2025 The timing of the show's announcement may provide insight into Tharoor's engagements in Moscow, particularly his private meeting with Lavrov. The collaboration with RT — often seen as a strategic soft power tool for Russia — could also raise questions about the blend of cultural diplomacy and state-backed media narratives. Tharoor, however, has not publicly commented on any connection between the RT project and his diplomatic activities. The collaboration comes at a time when Russia is expanding its media presence in India, through RT India. 'Imperial Receipts' is being marketed as a global examination of the Empire and decolonisation, themes that resonate in postcolonial countries like India and which Tharoor has advocated for on international platforms, including the Oxford Union.
