In Centre's Anti-Terror Outreach Teams, Only 1 Name Suggested By Congress

The Centre has released the final list of seven all-party delegations that will travel around the world to brief other nations about India's Operation Sindoor. From the Congress party's formal recommendation of four names, only Anand Sharma appeared in the list. The remaining three - Gaurav Gogoi, Syed Naseer Hussain, and Amrinder Singh Raja Warring did not figure in the list.

The seven delegations that will go to different countries assigned to them will be led by BJP's Baijayant Jay Panda and Ravi Shankar Prasad, JD(U) leader Sanjay Jha, Shiv Sena's Shrikant Shinde, Congress's Shashi Tharoor, DMK's Kanimozhi, and NCP (Sharad Pawar) leader Supriya Sule.

"One mission. One message. One Bharat. Seven all-party delegations will soon engage key nations under Operation Sindoor, reflecting our collective resolve against terrorism," Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said in a post on X.

He shared the final list of all the names.

One mission. One message. One Bharat 🇮🇳
Seven All-Party Delegations will soon engage key nations under #OperationSindoor, reflecting our collective resolve against terrorism.

Here's the list of MPs & delegations representing this united front. https://t.co/1igT7D21mZ pic.twitter.com/3eaZS21PbC

— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) May 17, 2025

The Centre on its own picked Congress leaders Shashi Tharoor, Amar Singh, and Manish Tewari - MPs who were not in the list of recommended names sent by the Congress party to the Centre. From that list, only Anand Sharma got picked.

Ravi Shankar Prasad will lead the delegation to the UK, France, Germany, EU, Italy and Denmark.

Shashi Tharoor, who was a diplomat before he joined politics full-time, will take the delegation to the US, Panama, Guyana, Brazil, and Colombia.

The delegation led by Sanjay Kumar Jha will fly to Indonesia, Malaysia, Republic of Korea, Japan, and Singapore.

The Congress viewed the selection of party leaders whose names were not in the list it gave to the Centre as an attempt by the BJP-led Centre to introduce internal friction in the opposition party.

Mr Tharoor, who once contested the Congress's internal election to the post of party president, has been speaking in support of the Centre's policies in recent times, leading to speculation about a possible surprise announcement.

Baijayant Panda said the all-party delegations will convey India's message of zero tolerance against terrorism and how India gave a befitting reply to Pakistan through Operation Sindoor.

"We taught a costly lesson to Pakistan with Operation Sindoor. The way they have been supporting terrorism and their training happens there," Jay Panda said. "But the propaganda they (Pakistan) have been doing since Independence, an answer should be given to that as well."

He said India is united, be it the ruling alliance or the opposition parties.

"We are united in national interest and have spoken in one voice. We will hold discussions with the media and intellectuals in those countries as well," he said, adding Pakistan is able to shelter terrorists because the international community is not paying attention to this.

"This outreach is necessary... We also need to answer to the narratives that they create... Leaders from all the parties going together in delegations will give a strong message," he said.