Congress MP Shashi Tharoor highlighted in the US on Saturday how India responded in an organized and calibrated manner to the terrifying Pahalgam terror attack. He applauded India’s “hit hard and smart” tactics throughout Operation Sindoor, which went on to strike terror bases and headquarters in Pakistan, emphasizing India’s message that it will not take terror lightly. In a statement released in New York on Saturday, Tharoor, who is leading a multi-party delegation to five countries as part of India’s global anti-terrorism outreach under Operation Sindoor, additionally highlighted India’s solid yet measured and calibrated response to the deadly Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives.
Shashi Tharoor On Pahalgam Attack In US
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“I don’t work for the government, as you know,” Tharoor stated about India’s reaction to the Pahalgam terror attack.
“Although I work for an opposition party, I wrote an opinion piece for one of India’s top newspapers a few days ago stating that it was time to strike hard and strike wisely, and I’m happy to report that India did just that.”
Shashi Tharoor described how “9 specific known terrorist bases, headquarters, and launchpads” were the targets of precise and calculated strikes. These included the Lashkar-e-Taiba in Muridke and the Jaish-e-Mohammad in Bahawalpur, which were among those in charge of Daniel Pearl’s murder.
The Congress MP said that within an hour, the Resistance Front claimed credit. He reminded the audience that this outfit is affiliated with the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba and had previously been reported to the UN in 2023 and 2024. “Sadly, Pakistan chose to follow its usual path of denial,” he said, stressing that Pakistan, with the support of China, was able to remove the reference to the TRF from the UN Security Council press statement. Shashi Tharoor remarked,
“The human cost of people being forced to return is tragic. Patients will have to return in the middle of their treatment. Husbands and wives exist on both sides of the border. There are difficult circumstances where the parent holds a passport from one nation while the child holds a passport from another. I felt sad for them. But when the government wishes to convey a clear message that normal relations are no longer viable, regular people are always the victims… At this moment, the Indus Water Treaty is primarily symbolic.”
Shashi Tharoor describes in his statement a dramatic change in India’s approach to terrorism and its relations with Pakistan. His comments point to a mature, restrained, yet firm evolution in India’s foreign policy and defense response, particularly in the face of cross-border terrorism.
“India sent a clear message that it was not going to take terror lying down…”
Shashi Tharoor begins by emphasizing India’s refusal to remain passive in the face of terrorist provocations. This refers to a broader strategic and psychological shift from a historically reactive and diplomatically restrained approach to one that now involves measured military retaliation. India, through its actions, is making it clear to both Pakistan and the international community that there are limits to its patience.
This also suggests that deterrence is now a key part of India’s anti-terrorism strategy. By signaling a willingness to use force in response to terror attacks, India aims to discourage future incidents by raising the cost of such acts for perpetrators and their sponsors.
“The time has come to set a ‘new bottom line’ in India’s dealings with Pakistan.”
This is perhaps the most strategic part of Shashi Tharoor’s message. A “new bottom line” implies a redefinition of the terms under which India engages with Pakistan. It signals a departure from past tolerance or reliance on diplomacy alone. Zero tolerance for cross-border terrorism, a shift from diplomatic responses (like presenting dossiers and lodging complaints) to direct action, and the militarization of deterrence: terrorism will not be met with words alone but with calibrated military responses when necessary. He added,
“India sent a strong signal that it was not going to allow terror to go unpunished, that it would respond, but also that by providing very precisely calibrated strikes on very specific targets, it was also conveying a message that this was not meant to be the first salvo in a protracted war, but rather an act of retribution, that we were willing to stop with that act.”
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