India's multi-party delegations to different countries will emphasise Pakistan's links to terrorism, including the 9/11 attack in the US. They will assert that the recent conflict between the neighboring countrries was triggered by the Pahalgam terror strike and not Operation Sindoor as alleged by Islamabad.
With Pakistan protesting India's decision to put the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, the delegations will be conveying to the nations that maintaining friendship and goodwill was a condition to the agreement, which Pakistan has breached with its constant involvement in terror strikes in India.
After the briefing by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri to four of the seven parliamentary delegations here on Friday, delegates said they will work to bust the Pakistani narrative of projecting India as the aggressor by underscoring the links of Pahalgam terrorists to the country.
Three delegations were briefed by Misri on Tuesday and are already on tours of their destinations, news agency PTI reported.
The delegation, which is led by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, visiting the US is likely to underscore Pakistan's links to Al-Qaeda, which was behind multiple terror strikes across the world, including the 9/11 attack in the North American country. Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden was traced to a hideout in Pakistan, they noted. Delegations visiting Islamic countries that have been victims of terror incidents will emphasize on this point, PTI said.
Three delegations, led by Shiv Sena leader Shrikant Shinde, JD(U) leader Sanjay Kumar Jha and DMK leader K Kanimozhi, have already taken India's message to leaders in UAE, Japan and Russia.
The Tharoor-led delegation will travel to Guyana, Colombia, Panama, Brazil and the US. The delegation led by Prasad will travel to the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the EU, Italy and Denmark. Sule will lead the group to Egypt, Qatar, Ethiopia and South Africa. The delegation led by Panda is travelling to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and Algeria.
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Different delegations have been armed with dossiers specific to the countries they are visiting.
Misri reminded the statement made by the armed forces that Indian pilots returned safely when a member asked about their likely response to Pakistani claims about hitting Indian assets.
Different delegations will be given more specific inputs before their meetings with representatives of the countries they are visiting.
Tharoor said they will meet government representatives, think tanks, legislators, a day the media.
"The whole idea is that we will like to sensitise government opinion, public opinion... in each of these countries. We will do what it takes to convey our message," he said.
BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad, who is leading a delegation to western Europe, said India desires peace and diplomacy, but if Indians are attacked, there will be a strong retaliation.
He said, "Pakistan's track record over the past 70 years speaks for itself, and the world is now willing to listen to India. India is a responsible, democratic nation. In our country, decisions are made by democratically elected governments, not by the military."
Former Union minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said they will emphasise the sufferings of the people of Jammu and Kashmir due to Pak-sponsored terrorism.
The delegations will convey to world capitals India's resolve for zero tolerance on terrorism emanating from Pakistan.
